Latest news with #Tamsyn
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
I was so bloated I looked 5 months pregnant – then a sharp pain like cold metal scrapping my insides revealed the truth
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHEN Tamsyn Gerrits woke up one morning with a swollen belly, she assumed it was just bloating. But what started as mild discomfort quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal that would change the 28-year-old's life forever. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Tamsyn Gerrits initially put her swollen belly down to bloating Credit: Cover Images 7 Tamsyn with her husband, Jaco Credit: Cover Images 7 The bloating made her look like she was four of five months pregnant Credit: Cover Images At first, Tamsyn looked like she was about four of five months pregnant - but she wasn't. She also thought it didn't feel like regular bloating. 'Every morning, my stomach looked round and hard. Not soft or squishy like normal bloating. I just knew something wasn't right,' she said. Tamsyn, whose son Elan is only a year old, had ultrasounds but doctors struggled to pinpoint the problem. 'All they could see was a large fluid-filled mass pressing on my bladder,' she said. 'They weren't sure if it was a cyst, a hernia, or something else entirely.' They also made her take five pregnancy tests - all of which came back negative. 'I knew it wasn't a baby, but it was frustrating having to constantly prove it,' she added. Then, over Easter weekend, Tamsyn's condition took a dramatic turn for the worse. At 4am she was woken by a sharp, shooting pain in her lower back and left abdomen. I was on the brink of death with litre of blood in my stomach after sex - if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone 'It felt like cold metal scraping the inside of my body. I was nauseous and scared,' she said. 'It was a public holiday and my medical aid wouldn't approve a scan or surgery. No one answered their phones. I was lying there in pain, knowing something was growing inside me, and I couldn't do a thing about it.' Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly. 'I went in on Friday, and the mass was 12cm. By Monday, it was 17cm. That's how fast it grew,' Tamsyn, from Cape Town, South Africa, said. 'The doctor said we had to operate immediately or I could lose my ovary.' 'Extremely lucky' Surgeons found a massive dermoid cyst - a type of tumour that can contain tissue like hair, skin, and even teeth. 'It was right on the verge of bursting,' Tamsyn said. 'In fact, it did burst the moment they removed it. 'This was extremely lucky, because if it had burst inside my body, I likely would have progressed straight to Stage 3 or 4 cancer. The fact that it was intact when removed played a crucial role in catching it early.' Doctors were able to save her ovary and used her C-section scar to minimise additional scarring. But the real shock came days later, when her biopsy results confirmed the tumour was Grade 2 – high-grade and cancerous. 'I went numb,' Tamsyn admitted. You never think it's going to be when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise Tamsyn Gerrits 'You never think it's going to be you. Especially when your blood work was all clear. 'Especially when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise.' Tamsyn has had aggressive chemotherapy, which has left her physically and emotionally drained. 'I gained 1st 8lbs (10 kilos) in just five days from all the steroids, fluids, and hormones they pumped into me,' she said. 'Then I dropped 1st 12lbs (12kg) in a weekend. My body didn't recognise itself. I didn't recognise myself. 'My hair started falling out in clumps by day 16. So I decided to take back some control and shaved it all off. A bold chop. My way of saying: 'You don't get to take this from me too.'' 'This is a rollercoaster' Just as Tamsyn began to find a rhythm in her treatment regime, she was rushed to hospital with an infected chemo port and dangerously low white blood cells. 'My body was shaking uncontrollably. I was freezing, nauseous, and scared. The infection was winning because my immune system was too weak to fight it," she said. Doctors paused her chemo and began IV antibiotics, plus painful injections to stimulate her bone marrow. 'I've been told I'll probably be in hospital for another 10 days,' she says. 'It feels excessive, but they want to be sure I'm strong enough to continue treatment.' Despite it all, Tamsyn remains defiant. 'This is a rollercoaster, but I'm holding on,' she said. 'I'm grateful we caught it early. I'm grateful for my support system - my husband, Jaco, who's my best friend, and our beautiful one-year-old son, Elan, who gives me a reason to keep going.' 7 On an ultrasound a large fluid-filled mass pressing on her bladder could be seen Credit: Cover Images 7 Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly Credit: Cover Images 7 During aggressive chemotherapy, Tamsyn decided to shave all her hair off Credit: Cover Images 7 The former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist shares her experiences on social media Credit: Cover Images She hopes her story will encourage other women to trust their instincts. 'We're told we're overreacting, being dramatic, or hormonal. But if your body is screaming that something is wrong, listen. There are no medals for being tough,' she said. Tamsyn, an entrepreneur and beauty queen who is a former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist, shares her experiences on social media @tamsyn_gerrits and through her own marketing agency Jane Doe Media. 'I've been discharged from hospital, and my body has miraculously and thankfully managed to overcome the infection,' she said. 'I'm scheduled to resume chemotherapy – just two more rounds to go. 'I'm not hiding. This is part of my life now. And if I can help one woman avoid being dismissed, if I can make one mum feel seen – then it's worth every post, every chemo drip, every tear.'
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
I was so bloated I looked 5 months pregnant – then a sharp pain like cold metal scrapping my insides revealed the truth
WHEN Tamsyn Gerrits woke up one morning with a swollen belly, she assumed it was just bloating. But what started as mild discomfort quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal that would change the 28-year-old's life forever. Advertisement 7 Tamsyn Gerrits initially put her swollen belly down to bloating Credit: Cover Images 7 Tamsyn with her husband, Jaco Credit: Cover Images 7 The bloating made her look like she was four of five months pregnant Credit: Cover Images At first, Tamsyn looked like she was about four of five months pregnant - but she wasn't. She also thought it didn't feel like regular 'Every morning, my stomach looked round and hard. Not soft or squishy like normal bloating. I just knew something wasn't right,' she said. Tamsyn, whose son Elan is only a year old, had ultrasounds but doctors struggled to pinpoint the problem. Advertisement Read more on ovarian cancer 'All they could see was a large fluid-filled mass pressing on my bladder,' she said. 'They weren't sure if it was a cyst, a They also made her take five pregnancy tests - all of which came back negative. 'I knew it wasn't a baby, but it was frustrating having to constantly prove it,' she added. Advertisement Most read in Health Exclusive Exclusive Then, over Easter weekend, Tamsyn's condition took a dramatic turn for the worse. At 4am she was woken by a sharp, shooting pain in her lower back and left abdomen. I was on the brink of death with litre of blood in my stomach after sex - if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone 'It felt like cold metal scraping the inside of my body. I was nauseous and scared,' she said. 'It was a public holiday and my medical aid wouldn't approve a scan or surgery. No one answered their phones. I was lying there in pain, knowing something was growing inside me, and I couldn't do a thing about it.' Advertisement Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly. 'I went in on Friday, and the mass was 12cm. By Monday, it was 17cm. That's how fast it grew,' Tamsyn, from Cape Town, South Africa, said. 'The doctor said we had to operate immediately or I could lose my ovary.' 'Extremely lucky' Surgeons found a massive dermoid cyst - a type of tumour that can contain tissue like hair, skin, and even teeth. Advertisement 'It was right on the verge of bursting,' Tamsyn said. 'In fact, it did burst the moment they removed it. 'This was extremely lucky, because if it had burst inside my body, I likely would have progressed straight to Stage 3 or 4 cancer. The fact that it was intact when removed played a crucial role in catching it early.' Doctors were able to save her ovary and used her C-section scar to minimise additional scarring. But the real shock came days later, when her biopsy results confirmed the tumour was Grade 2 – high-grade and cancerous. Advertisement 'I went numb,' Tamsyn admitted. You never think it's going to be when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise Tamsyn Gerrits 'You never think it's going to be you. Especially when your blood work was all clear. 'Especially when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise.' Tamsyn has had aggressive chemotherapy, which has left her physically and emotionally drained. Advertisement 'I gained 1st 8lbs (10 kilos) in just five days from all the steroids, fluids, and hormones they pumped into me,' she said. 'Then I dropped 1st 12lbs (12kg) in a weekend. My body didn't recognise itself. I didn't recognise myself. 'My hair started falling out in clumps by day 16. So I decided to take back some control and shaved it all off. A bold chop. My way of saying: 'You don't get to take this from me too.'' 'This is a rollercoaster' Just as Tamsyn began to find a rhythm in her treatment regime, she was rushed to hospital with an infected chemo port and dangerously low white blood cells. Advertisement 'My body was shaking uncontrollably. I was freezing, nauseous, and scared. The infection was winning because my immune system was too weak to fight it," she said. Doctors paused her chemo and began IV antibiotics, plus painful injections to stimulate her bone marrow. 'I've been told I'll probably be in hospital for another 10 days,' she says. 'It feels excessive, but they want to be sure I'm strong enough to continue treatment.' Advertisement Despite it all, Tamsyn remains defiant. 'This is a rollercoaster, but I'm holding on,' she said. 'I'm grateful we caught it early. I'm grateful for my support system - my husband, Jaco, who's my best friend, and our beautiful one-year-old son, Elan, who gives me a reason to keep going.' 7 On an ultrasound a large fluid-filled mass pressing on her bladder could be seen Credit: Cover Images Advertisement 7 Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly Credit: Cover Images 7 During aggressive chemotherapy, Tamsyn decided to shave all her hair off Credit: Cover Images 7 The former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist shares her experiences on social media Credit: Cover Images She hopes her story will encourage other women to trust their instincts. Advertisement 'We're told we're overreacting, being dramatic, or hormonal. But if your body is screaming that something is wrong, listen. There are no medals for being tough,' she said. Tamsyn, an entrepreneur and beauty queen who is a former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist, shares her experiences on social media @tamsyn_gerrits and through her own marketing agency Jane Doe Media. 'I've been discharged from hospital, and my body has miraculously and thankfully managed to overcome the infection,' she said. 'I'm scheduled to resume chemotherapy – just two more rounds to go. Advertisement 'I'm not hiding. This is part of my life now. And if I can help one woman avoid being dismissed, if I can make one mum feel seen – then it's worth every post, every chemo drip, every tear.' What are the signs of ovarian cancer? Ovarian cancers affects the ovaries - the organs that store the eggs needed to make babies. It mostly affects women over the age of 50 and can sometimes run in families, according to the NHS. Symptoms of the cancer can be vague, particularly in its early stages, Cancer Research UK SAYS. The charity advises you speak to a GP if you have the following symptoms: Pain in your abdomen or lower part of your abdomen that doesn't go away Tiredness that is unexplained The NHS added that bleeding from the vagina after the menopause could be another possible symptom of ovarian cancer.
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Car crash project 'world leading' say researchers
A "world first" research project is to combine road crash data with health records to uncover new insights into traffic two-year, £500,000 project will analyse information from ambulances, hospitals, coroners, police and will focus on the Thames Valley, Hampshire and Dorset. The work is being led by TRL at Crowthorne and University Hospital work is being supported by Tamsyn Berry, who was almost killed in a head-on crash with a lorry on the A303 on Salisbury Plain. The musician and singer from Cornwall said she owed her life to the crew of Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, who gave her a roadside blood transfusion after she lost half her blood."I broke both arms, my left leg, both knees, right foot, punctured my lung, fractured my skull, I had brain bleeds and lost a finger," she spent two weeks in a coma, followed by many further weeks in hospitals. Four years after the crash, her rehabilitation is ongoing and she requires a carer."My left arm is permanently damaged and I used to be a guitarist. I can sing, but because of my brain injury I can't remember the lyrics so I have to read them," she Romanian driver of the lorry was convicted of careless driving. But Tamsyn said she did not want him to spend time in prison and he was able to return to his home traffic collisions cause nearly 30,000 deaths and serious injuries each year in well as the human cost, the economic impact is put at £42bn a year, according to 2023 Department for Transport project is called Data Sustains Life. Dr Phil Hyde, an intensive care consultant at University Hospital Southampton, said: "Tamsyn is an amazing, talented lady. But I would much prefer not to meet her as a patient. "This data linkage was thought to be impossible. It will allow researchers to identify patterns, risk factors, and critical points for intervention."It will help us to reduce the number of severe injuries and fatalities on our roads."Dr Phil Martin, head of transport safety at Transport for London, said: "This is a world-leading research project. It is the first of its kind. "The data has been in different silos. Brought together, it can look in depth at data from the seconds before a crash, all the way through to when a patient is discharged from rehabilitation."The work will be capable of upgrading to a national level. The ambition is to influence both national policy and global best is singing again. She performs in three bands around Devon and Cornwall. But the effects of her crash are permanent."Research that reduces the likelihood of crashes like mine has got to be a good thing," she said. "Honestly, if there's a way to prevent anyone going through what I and my family went through, I'm behind it." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
