A nursery teacher who was given antibiotics for a sore throat discovered she had something much worse after her pharmacist recognised her symptoms.
Natalie Forrest, 40, had been suffering from a sore throat, high temperature and urine infection for a week when she went to collect the drugs from her chemist.
But it was there that the pharmacist on shift, who had herself previously battled leukaemia, urged Natalie to go back to her GP immediately to be tested for the disease and report her symptoms.
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After tests found she had abnormal blood cells, five days later she was admitted to hospital where a bone marrow test confirmed the shock blood cancer diagnosis.
Natalie’s brother John, 38, said she was started on an aggressive chemotherapy treatment plan two weeks after being diagnosed.
He told the Daily Record: “We will be eternally grateful to the pharmacist who helped save Natalie’s life. She was given chemotherapy three times a week for ten consecutive days.
“The plan was for her to get three rounds before the specialists could decide if she needed a stem cell transplant.
“She was responding well to the treatment and we were hoping to build up her health and bring her home before she started another round.”
On November 1 Natalie, from South Lanarkshire, collapsed twice and began passing and vomiting large amounts of blood.
She was given multiple blood transfusions in a bid to keep her alive. Medics discovered a blockage in her small bowel, but surgery was considered too risky and the only safe treatment was to render her nil by mouth.
The childcare worker’s health eventually stabilised and her family were told her first round of chemo had been a success.
One week later her health took a turn for the worst and Natalie went into cardiac arrest seven times over the course of one day.
John continued: “Natalie’s breathing suddenly changed as she was getting ready to sleep and she suffered seven cardiac arrests over 28 hours.
“She was placed on life support in ICU and we were told to prepare for the worst. They gave her 48 hours to see if she could survive.
“Somehow Natalie pulled through. We were allowed to bring her dog Nico into intensive care, and she briefly opened her eyes for the first time.
“The next day she woke up and is now going from strength to strength. We hope she will be home for Christmas and we can resume her chemotherapy to fight this disease.”
The family are facing a huge financial battle as Natalie is unable to work and her mum Anne, 65, and brother John have both had to take unpaid leave to be by her hospital beside.
A family friend has since launched a fundraiser to help the family with their bills. Any money that is left over will be donated to a cancer charity and Monklands Hospital.
To donate click here.
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