A MUM who was carried home from a night out with a suspected drunk injury was laughed at by friends – until it turned out to be a terminal diagnosis.
Jade Collett was on a night out with friends and began experiencing strange symptoms in her right foot.
Then 22, Jade noticed it had turned slightly outwards and gone completely numb, forcing the mum-of-one to be carried home due to the pain.
Jade said: “I was on a night out with my friends then all of a sudden my foot started to turn outwards a little bit.
“I had hip dysplasia during my pregnancy so thought it was something to do with that or I’d twinged a nerve.
“Everyone thought it was a pinched nerve. It didn’t cross my mind that it could be something sinister.
“When we walked into town, it was hurting but a few hours in I couldn’t even put my foot on the ground it was hurting that much. I had to be carried home.
“All my friends thought I was drunk and just laughed it off.
“But the next day I still couldn’t put my foot on the ground and it felt really numb.”
Despite her friends laughing her ailment off as “being too drunk”, Jade grew more concerned when her symptoms persisted the following day.
Jade, who lives in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, visited her GP who sent her for an MRI scan and further testing.
It revealed that she had a brain tumour and would need further testing.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”I was given a week to live after doctors found a decade-old tumour on my brain” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6367880166112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]At age 22, Jade was told she had just two years to live.
She said: “I just froze. I didn’t even talk or cry. I was just sitting in the car silent thinking what is going on?
“I remember balling my eyes out crying saying ‘I’m going to die’. Grace [her daughter] wasn’t even one yet.
“They told me the fact my foot turned outwards was really lucky because not that many people get that symptom. And I didn’t have any other symptoms.”
The results revealed that Jade had a Grade 4 Glioblastoma brain tumour in her motor cortex, which was affecting mobility in her foot.
[quote credit=”Jade Collett”]I’ve got a will and had a whole funeral planned, it’s all ready. I never thought I’d have to plan my own funeral at 22.[/quote]It is the most aggressive type of cancer which originates in the brain.
Devastated, Jade began planning her own funeral and preparing herself to say goodbye to her one-year-old daughter Grace.
However, nine years after her terminal cancer diagnosis, Jade is still alive and doctors “cannot explain” why.
Now, Jade credits her unusual foot symptom for helping save her life by catching her hidden cancer early.
Jade, now 32 and unable to work due to her tumour, said: “The only thing I thought about was Grace. I asked how long I had and he told me two years max.
“They said it’s inoperable because if they attempted to remove it, I would be disabled.
“They would give me treatment but it was just to keep me stable and prolong my life.”
Defying the odds
After undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Jade was “waiting around to die”.
Jade said: “I found it hard going past the second year because I felt like I was waiting around to die. I felt like I couldn’t plan ahead and was in limbo.
“I’ve got a will and had a whole funeral planned, it’s all ready. I never thought I’d have to plan my own funeral at 22.
“But I’ve always wanted to keep going for Grace. I feel so lucky and just thought I’m going to carry on with my life.
“Since having my treatment nine years ago, I haven’t had any more treatment and I’m still here.
“Doctors have no idea what’s going on and they’ve called me a miracle. They have no answers and are gobsmacked I’m still here and so healthy.”
Her tumour remains the same size and her foot is still numb and bent.
She says: “I’m just really grateful and feel so lucky. I think this happens to less than one per cent of people who last as long as me with this type of tumour.
“My foot definitely saved my life. I’m very glad my foot did this because I wouldn’t have known otherwise.
“Every day I get I’m super grateful.”
