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More on KentOnline
The pain she felt during a walk for Cancer Research was Sereena Scott's first indication something was wrong.
Sereena, of Longmarsh View, South Darenth, began suffering from severe abdominal pains in Cancer Research UK’s Shine Night Walk in September.
She said: “Before the night I’d had some pain in my shoulder but I’d put it down to twisting it at my job at B&Q."
“I’d also lost some hair which I’d spoken to my doctor about but that had been put down to stress. I’d no reason to believe there was anything seriously wrong.
“During the walk my stomach was swollen, a couple of people I spoke to thought I was pregnant.
“During the walk my stomach was swollen, a couple of people I spoke to thought I was pregnant"- Sereena
“I didn’t feel very comfortable but I put it down to period cramp. I was just determined to finish the event but couldn’t.
“The next day I stayed in bed and had a bath with some muscle relaxant.
“I felt really uncomfortable but I thought it was down to walking so far.
“On Monday I set off to go to work but I ended up doubling over at the bus stop.
“I realised I couldn’t ignore the fact there was something seriously wrong any longer and I went to hospital.”
Doctors told her a football-sized teratoma germ cell tumour was on her ovaries before transferring her to Charing Cross Hospital to start chemotherapy.
Her survival chances worsened when she picked up pneumonia, which caused her lung to collapse and resulted in her needing help to breathe.
Sereena added: “I looked as if I was eight months pregnant. I couldn’t speak or eat.
The 31-year-old decided to tied the knot with husband Robert at hospital during her three-month stay in intensive care.
“As I couldn’t talk I wrote on a piece of paper to Robert ‘let’s get married now’," she said.
“We were engaged already and had planned to have our wedding the next year but now it seemed more important than ever.
“Robert organised the wedding in just five days, contacting the hospital chaplain and arranging for the relevant paper work.
“I didn’t know he’d managed to get it agreed so it was a real surprise.
“The nurses helped me get ready, they bought me some new white silk pyjamas and did my hair and make up.
“It took four nurses to lift me out of bed into the wheelchair.
“It was very moving, all the nurses were crying. It was a really emotional experience and we tried to make it as happy as possible” - Sereena
“I couldn’t speak so I mouthed my vows and an Irish nurse said them out loud which was a bit weird.
“We tried to make it as much a wedding as possible in the hospital with just close family, the nurses and my consultant.”
Robert, 36, said: “I can’t believe I managed to organise it so quickly.
“It wasn’t what we planned but I was determined to give Sereena what she wanted. And it meant that I would be next of kin because if the worst had happened, I would have had more rights.
“It was very moving, all the nurses were crying. It was a really emotional experience and we tried to make it as happy as possible.”
Thankfully, Sereena was able to build up her strength before leaving the hospital in January.
An operation to remove the tumour at Easter was a success, although it is expected she will need another operation at some point.
For now, the couple are focusing their efforts on helping those affected by cancer by signing up to take part in the 13.1 mile Shine Night Walk on Saturday, September 26.
In October, they also plan to hold a traditional wedding to renew their vows on October 6, a year to the day they wed in hospital.
Robert said: “I would call it a rollercoaster six months. People say that everything happens for a reason.
“I don’t know what this reason is but we are closer than ever and looking forward to our future together. I used to be quite a pessimistic person but I’m not so much anymore.
“It was quite up and down, especially at the end of last year. I was thinking what’s going to happen come January and February? The fact that she is doing so well now just shows how strong she is.”
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