October 12th 2024.
As Janine gazed at the sonographer's monitor, her heart swelled with anticipation. She couldn't wait to catch a glimpse of her unborn baby. At 20 weeks pregnant, this scan would reveal the gender of her child - a son or a daughter. Janine, now 44, and her husband Chris were filled with excitement and joy, but little did they know, their world was about to be turned upside down.
As the sonographer moved the wand over her belly, Janine's joy quickly turned to fear and confusion. The scan revealed a growth in her bladder, right next to her baby's head. The news was shocking and overwhelming. Janine and Chris were ushered into a side room and told that she had bladder cancer.
Janine recalls her initial thoughts were for the well-being of her unborn baby. But after being assured that the cancer would not affect him, she couldn't help but feel nervous about what was to come for herself. She was relieved to learn that she was having a healthy son, but the news of her own diagnosis was still sinking in.
A month later, after undergoing a cystoscopy, Janine received her official diagnosis. She was alone at the time, but her husband met her in the waiting room and they drove home in a daze. The word "cancer" sent her into a state of shock, but thankfully, her cousin who was a urologist was able to answer her questions and provide some relief.
Janine had been experiencing symptoms since she was 12 years old, but it wasn't until her routine gender scan that doctors discovered the cause. Growing up in Zimbabwe, she spent many weekends waterskiing in a country plagued by a waterborne disease that can lead to cancer. She had also experienced frequent UTIs, but her doctors failed to recognize a pattern.
As her 20s progressed, her symptoms worsened and she was facing painful UTIs every six to eight weeks. Her support system, including her boyfriend at the time, Chris, and her close friends, brainstormed ways to help her manage the pain, but nothing worked. Despite finally having answers, Janine was about to embark on a daunting journey.
In the final weeks of her pregnancy, Janine underwent frequent checks to monitor the growth in her bladder and ensure the safety of her baby. It was a delicate balance between her own health and her son's birth, but she accepted that he may come early. Fortunately, her doctors reassured her that the tumor was slow-growing and not terminal.
On February 15, 2007, Janine gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Jonty. Just two weeks later, she underwent surgery to remove the tumor and underwent chemo-wash treatment. As new parents living two and a half hours away from the hospital, Janine and Chris faced numerous challenges, but they were determined to give their son the best care possible.
Despite the obstacles, Janine never felt like she missed out on anything as a new parent. She was grateful to have a supportive husband, a healthy baby, and the strength to overcome her cancer diagnosis. Now, over a decade later, Janine has been cancer-free and cherishes every moment with her son. She is grateful for her journey and the lessons it taught her.
Janine Edgar sat in the waiting room, eagerly anticipating the moment she would get to see her unborn baby on the sonographer's monitor. As a soon-to-be mother, this was a moment she had been looking forward to for weeks. At 20 weeks pregnant, this ultrasound would not only reveal the gender of her baby, but also give her a glimpse into the little life growing inside of her.
But what should have been a joyful experience turned into a nightmare when the scan revealed something unexpected. The doctors discovered a tumor in Janine's bladder, right next to her baby's head. She was eventually diagnosed with bladder cancer, a shocking and devastating blow for the expectant mother.
Janine, now 44 years old, still remembers that day in 2006 vividly. She recalls, "Going into the scan, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had a strong feeling from the beginning of my pregnancy that I was having a boy." Her intuition was right, and she was thrilled to learn that she would soon become a boy mom. But her excitement quickly turned to fear and uncertainty when she and her husband Chris were ushered into a side room to receive the news about the tumor.
Despite the shocking news, Janine was relieved to hear that the tumor would not affect her baby. However, she couldn't help but feel anxious about what was to come for her own health. She explains, "My initial thoughts were for the baby, but once they explained that he would be okay, I couldn't help but feel nervous about my own diagnosis."
A month later, Janine underwent a cystoscopy and was officially diagnosed with bladder cancer. She remembers feeling a mixture of emotions, but above all, she was relieved to finally have an explanation for the symptoms she had been experiencing since she was a child. In fact, Janine first noticed blood in her urine at the young age of 12.
Originally from Zimbabwe, Janine spent her childhood weekends waterskiing in her home country, where she believes she may have been exposed to a waterborne disease that can lead to cancer. She had experienced frequent UTIs throughout her life, but due to switching doctors and moving around, she was never able to identify a pattern.
As she entered her early twenties, her symptoms worsened, causing her to experience painful UTIs every 6-8 weeks. Despite the support of her boyfriend at the time, Chris, and her close group of girlfriends, Janine struggled to find relief from the pain. She tried everything, from drinking excessive amounts of water to cutting out wheat and alcohol, but nothing seemed to help.
But as Janine finally received some answers about her lifelong health issues, she was faced with a daunting journey ahead. In the final weeks of her pregnancy, she had to undergo frequent checks to monitor the baby's growth and her own health. The doctors had to balance the safety of both Janine and her baby, and she accepted that her son might come earlier than expected.
On February 15, 2007, Janine gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Jonty. She was overjoyed to finally meet her little one, but just two weeks later, she was back in the hospital for surgery to remove the tumor. As a new parent, this was a monumental task, especially since she and Chris lived two and a half hours away from the hospital. But with the support of her husband and their newborn son, Janine underwent the surgery and a type of treatment called chemo-wash.
Despite the challenges of being a new parent and undergoing cancer treatment, Janine never felt like she missed out on anything. She was grateful to have her family by her side, and she was discharged from the hospital on the same day as her surgery. At her six-month check-up, the doctors discovered another shadow in her bladder, but fortunately, it turned out to be nothing serious.
Today, Janine is cancer-free and cherishes every moment with her now 17-year-old son, Jonty. She looks back on her journey and feels grateful for the support of her loved ones and the doctors who helped her overcome this difficult time. As she reflects on her experience, she says, "I never felt like I missed out on anything as a new parent. If anything, it made me appreciate every moment even more."
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