My Cancer Experience: Part One - Discovering A Problem

As I mentioned briefly in my first new post, I will be blogging about my experience with Cancer.

I will divide this over a few posts about the stags I personally experienced: 

Finding out, Diagnosis, Treatment, Life after cancer and any tips I can think of for family, friends and patients 

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So my story begins:

In Early 2012, I was working a full time job at River Island. It was a different role abit more physically than I was used to. I noticed that I was losing weight even though nothing in my diet had really changed. I put this down to the fact that I was now running up and down 6 flights of stairs about 16+ times a day and moving heavy boxes of clothes around.
One of my friends literally said to me once 'What is going on with you, you look anorexic' looking back now I did look ill but as I see myself every day I didn't really notice.

Shortly after this I developed a pain in my diaphragm (just where your ribs stop in the middle) and I had developed a pea sized lump under my left armpit. It was hard and I could move it around.

Growing up it has been promoted to teenage girls to get any lump checked out, so I went down to my local NHS walk in centre as I wasn't yet registered at a local doctor due to moving house.

The doctor advised me that the pain in my diaphragm was Indigestion and the lump was breast change. Being 22 at this point I was silently sure that I knew this wasn't right and that I'd hit puberty long enough ago to know what 'Breast change' would feel like.

But this person is a qualified doctor who am I to question them, so off I went with my prescription for Gaviscon.

Six months later after completing the prescribed Gaviscon and 2 stone lighter than I had been most of my life. I still had the Lump, the diaphragm pain and I had now developed a dry cough which had lasted months, no flu symptoms etc.

So I returned to the same doctors as they had previously seen me for this problem.. again the prescribed me another course of Gaviscon. I took this home but I did not carry out the course as I was positive I was being mis-diagnosed.

A week after my 23rd birthday I woke up to a crushing pain feeling like I was being pushed in my back and chest at the same time. I took myself to A&E where I under went a CT scan and had to stay over night. The next day I was diagnosed with having Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Which I would later find out that I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma (Blood cancer) at stage 2 and that had I been brought in a year earlier when I first went to the NHS walk in centre I may have been at an earlier stage.

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My next post's will be about: My experience with telling other people, treatment and the aftermath.

Real Techniques Brushes

Real techniques is a company specializing in make-up brushes which is owned by sisters Samantha and Nicola Chapman. In 2008, Sam uploaded her first video to YouTube, then her sister later joined her to form what is now known as Pixiwoo. If you spend more time than you really should on YouTube like me you have probably come across one of their videos at some point.

In 2011, the Real Techniques brush collection was launched and has since become a fond favourite among ladies, gents and YouTuber's making countless appearances in the monthly favourite's video's and tutorial's of every ones favorite YouTube stars as well as being a big hit with make up artists worldwide.

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So, I recently took a trip to Boots to replace my 'Expert face brush' due to accidentally breaking the handle off the one I owned. While I was there I couldn't help but pick up a few extras as I do also frequently use the 'Miracle complexion sponge' and love it.

This is what I picked up:

From Left to Right: Silicone Liner Brush £5.99, Blush Brush  £9.99, Expert face brush  £9.99, Shading Brush  £7.99,
(Prices when bought from Boots as RealTechniques.com only shows in dollars for some reason)

Review:

• These brushes are very soft yet sturdy.
• I don't get covered in hairs from them shedding which is a big pet hate of mine.
• When I wash them they don't go stiff and out of shape.
• The collection over all offers something for most peoples preference.
• They are mid range in price; but worth every penny.
• The liner is perfect for gel liners and I usually dip it in my liquid liner as I prefer this silicone tip.

The Sponge which I also own (not pictured above) runs at approx £5.99, it is a great alternative to the 'BeautyBlender' if you are on a budget.

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Real techniques have recently launched a new bold metals collection. I having been eyeing up the flat contour brush which runs at around £22, I must say that the brushes themselves are so beautiful you almost wouldn't want to use them & just have them as ornaments. The new collection comes in a range of chrome silver, gold and rose gold and range from £10-25 dependent on the brush size.

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Disclaimer: This is not sponsored, this is my personal opinion and items were bought with my own money. Prices correct at time of posting.