2024-02-04 06:00:24
Marleen Euving now (L) and after her operation (R) | © Own photo
BORGER – Every year on February 4, we reflect on the impact of cancer. A disease that affects one in two people in the Netherlands at some point. Not only as a patient, but also as a partner, family member, colleague or friend. Marleen Euving also recognizes the impact of the disease.
Marleen Euving from Borger had a tumor in her head. She did not discover that immediately. She had vague complaints, such as a period in which she saw double everything. Her ophthalmologist indicated that this was due to the wrong glasses. A little later she had the same complaints again.
Electric shock to the face
“I got those complaints at the beginning of the corona period,” says Euving. ‘Then I couldn’t go to the doctor because they were too busy with other patients. I had a tingling sensation under my eye on my cheekbone and it didn’t stop. Eventually it got worse and started to spread. At times it even felt like an electric shock was coming over half of my face.’
Ultimately, there was room for her at the neurologist. At first she thought this was stress, so she was given medication for it. Because the medication did not work, it was decided that Euving would undergo an MRI scan. ‘I had to come back the next day and we saw a large tumor.’
Corona
The doctors at the hospital in Assen thought it was a benign tumor, but she was still referred to the UMCG. However, the doctors in Groningen thought it was not benign. On August 5, after several scans and examinations, it turned out that the tumor in her head was malignant. ‘They scheduled an operation for November, but my mother came by the afternoon before the operation. It turned out that she had corona at that time. As a result, I did not have surgery, because there was a chance that I would also have corona.’
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Euving during the hospital process | © Own photo
The operation went ahead on December 20. ‘I went into the operation very fit and was eventually allowed to return home before Christmas Eve. The recovery went very well. At first you’re exhausted, but I quickly started to get better.’
Waiting for the results
At that time she was still awaiting the true results of the tumor. She was informed of the results in January. The tumor turned out to be malignant. According to the doctors, it had probably been there for ten years. The tumor was the size of a ping-pong ball.
Euving had to be irradiated 35 times at the UMCG. ‘That was a tough process. In the last week of the radiation treatments it turned out that I also had to undergo a treatment for cervical cancer. The doctors removed cells so that they could no longer grow as cancer.’
Pregnant
In the meantime, the Borgerse is doing well again and she is even pregnant. ‘It was a blow. Most of my tumor has been removed, but you can’t cut away a large part of your head, so there is still some there. That’s why I have to have a check-up every six months to make sure it doesn’t grow any further. There is a reasonable chance that it can still grow. That is a certainty you have to learn to live with. Even now with the pregnancy.’
Advice
Euving wants to say that you should take complaints seriously. ‘Don’t let a doctor dismiss it too quickly. Also participate in population surveys to prevent things. That makes such a difference. But above all, be aware that anything could happen to you. You don’t know how healthy you are. Get the most out of life, and unfortunately you realize that more because of something like this.’
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