Mum's electric shock when kissing husband was only warning sign she had before diagnosis

Daily Record

16-05-2025

Sarah Susak, now 48, experienced an 'electric shock' sensation when kissing her husband, only to discover this unusual symptom was a warning sign of cancer.
A woman was left stunned after experiencing an "electric shock" sensation while kissing her husband - which turned out to be a sign of cancer. Before her surgery, 48 year old Sarah Susak was told that a significant part of her head would have to be removed.
She recounted: "When I was told they were going to do open face surgery to remove the tumour, I was told I would lose my eye and my hearing. I gave them permission to do whatever they needed to save me. I came out with missing teeth as they took half my palate. They used the skin from my leg to build my new palate - I can feel the leg hairs still growing inside my mouth.
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" They used my fibula in my leg to rebuild my jaw and veins from my feet to connect muscles. It was amazing how many different parts of my body they used to rebuild my face."
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Sarah's medical problems began back in 2017 when she first experienced the sharp electric shock-like feeling when her husband Halan kissed her. When the odd sensation persisted, she decided to visit her GP a week later, reports the Mirror.
Initially brushed off as neuralgia; a nerve pressure-related pain condition, her condition failed to get better. Referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist led to the shocking discovery of a substantial growth inside her face.
Sarah recounted: "I opened my mouth and, immediately, he could see the tumour. I can't believe I never noticed it or even felt it."
Following a biopsy, Sarah received a diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma – a seldom-seen and aggressive cancer type that targets the head and neck, known for its silent growth and difficulty of treatment given its tendency to infiltrate nerves.
Doctors warned her of the likelihood of the cancer spreading post-treatment, with a prognosis that could prolong life but not result in a cure. This news came just a year and a half after Sarah and her partner Halan had celebrated the arrival of their much-longed-for daughter Stella, following eight trying IVF cycles.
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Adamant about not succumbing to the bleak outlook, Sarah admitted to grappling with intense anxiety, tormented by the notion that her daughter might face a future without her. Drawing upon her interest in complementary therapies, she turned to an Instagram wellness guru for guidance on managing her anxiety.
This very same influencer facilitated a connection with medical professionals in India, who suggested an operation to remove the tumour – advice which Sarah took on board. The demanding 19-hour surgery was followed by several months of radiotherapy, which sadly resulted in osteoradionecrosis; a grave condition where Sarah's jawbone tissue began to perish.
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After five years of alternating between ICU and ward stays, including periods of isolation from her family, Sarah finally received news that her cancer was in remission. However, seven years on, the disease made a comeback as a small lesion within one of her lungs.
Surgeons excised the growth and informed Sarah that radiotherapy wasn't necessary. Believing she could resume normal life, Sarah was blindsided when a chilling sensation pervaded her body just one week following her surgery.
She recounted: "I couldn't feel my fingers or my toes. Every surface I touched felt numb. I took myself to the emergency room, but the hospital dismissed me as having a panic attack."
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Over the ensuing five days, Sarah's condition rapidly worsened, and she had to battle for her symptoms to be acknowledged. Eventually, she found herself lying in a hospital corridor, demanding to be examined by a surgeon, shortly before her health sharply declined.
"My eyes were rolling in the back of my head. My husband was in tears, and within four hours, I was completely paralysed from my neck down, I couldn't breathe, so I had intubation, then a tracheotomy, and I was in ICU for many weeks."
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Sarah's encounter with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare autoimmune disorder targeting the nervous system, was an unforeseen nightmare. The causes of GBS are not fully understood but are often linked to preceding infections.
Her grim journey saw her lapse into a four-day coma, rely on life support, and face her family preparing for the worst. Contrary to what doctors predicted, Sarah woke up to forecasts of spending a year in hospital but, demonstrating remarkable resilience, left after just two and a half months.
Her battle continued outside of hospital walls, with another six months spent in rehab to relearn walking and swallowing. Throughout it all, she was thankful for the exceptional medical attention she received.
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Yet, it was Vedic meditation that she praised for transforming her life. "Meditation enabled me to deal with the constant ups and downs that I had for all those years of my life after my initial surgery."
Post-cancer, Sarah faced sundry challenges, from facial pain and radio necrosis to infections and profound weariness due to the disease's spread. It was through meditation that she found solace and nurtured her innate ability to heal.
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Aside from her role as a general manager, Sarah has launched her endeavour, Medi Steady Go, which is dedicated to sharing her expertise on pacifying the nervous system through methods that have profoundly altered her life. Dive into the essence of Vedic meditation.
Sarah recounts her remarkable journey to wellness and presents the key elements of her method in her forthcoming book, YOURU: Find the Guru within You, slated for release next month. The book's cover showcases Sarah looking intently at the reader, sporting an effervescent grin that contests the adversities she has faced.
"As an author, I thought, 'How can I stand out on a bookshelf?'" she reflects. "So I thought, well... I'll just smile."