Woman ‘tired from acute grief’ hit by two devastating diagnoses – one of which could’ve killed her at any moment
A WOMAN was diagnosed with two deadly conditions after she initially thought her symptoms were being caused by “grief”, she has revealed.
Sonia Beldom, 60, from North London, went through a series of losses in 2022, including her dad and four close friends.
When she started experiencing physical symptoms like tiredness and shortness of breath early last year, she put it down to her emotional turmoil.
But after a spell of struggling to catch her breath, she had a blood test and chest scan, which found large blood clots in her lungs that could have moved to her heart or brain and killed her.
When her symptoms worsened, with a huge temperature spike, she was rushed to the hospital and given the terrifying diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL).
She said: “In 2022, I lost four very close friends and family, including my beloved dad who suddenly collapsed and died from a brain aneurysm.
“So, I entered 2023 with a lot of grief. I just felt physically and mentally low, unable to really function on my normal levels.”
Blood clots in the lungs — known medically as pulmonary embolisms — affected more than 69,000 Brits in hospital between 2021 to 2022, according to NHS Digital.
The condition can be life-threatening if not treated quickly and symptoms include sudden difficulty in breathing, chest pain that’s worse when you breathe and coughing up blood.
Anticoagulant injections are given for five days before at least three months of anticoagulant tablets to ensure a full recovery.
Acute promyelocytic leukaemia is a particularly rare type of cancer, with only 160 people diagnosed in the UK each year, and one of the lowest survival rates.
It is a type of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), which affects white blood cells and can progress very quickly.
Typical symptoms include fatigue, bruising, bleeding, and repeated infections.
Survival rates for AML are one of the lowest for all cancers with only 13.6 per cent of people surviving beyond five years, according to Leukaemia UK.
Both blood cancers can only be diagnosed by blood tests and bone marrow biopsies.
Sonia, who travels the world with her coaching work, was presenting at an event in March 2023 when she found she could hardly catch her breath.
She went to the GP for a blood test and two hours later received a call saying she should go straight to the hospital.
I have escaped death three times in the past year so every day is precious
Sonia Beldom
Sonia received her diagnosis a few days later and was immediately started on chemotherapy along with arsenic trioxide.
She spent four weeks in the hospital completing her first round of chemotherapy and was then allowed home where she continued further rounds with day visits to the hospital.
She has now just completed her fourth cycle and has been told she is officially in remission, but will need continued chemotherapy for some time.
Sonia, a public-speaking coach and children’s books author has turned her diagnosis into something that can be used for good, by launching her ‘Chemo Chameleon’ blog.
She first used the space to share her thoughts and experiences with her family while she was being treated, but they have not reached blood cancer patients across the world.
Staying optimistic
Sonia said: “I’ve always been an optimist and decided to chronicle the ‘adventure’ with leukaemia.
“I’ve had contact from around 20 people around the world wanting to share their stories and being very kind to me and thanking me for amusing and helping them.
“I really feel like I also now have a mission as a coach to help people through the trauma of leukaemia and to be able to see things in a new way.”
Sonia has also signed up for Leukaemia UK’s Community Champion scheme.
She added: “Although I understand that APML could have taken my life within two weeks, I don’t think I let that get in the way of trying to see the light in the darkness.
“I have always been an active person, juggling two or three jobs and travelling the world to coach clients.
“All that has stopped, of course, and it has had a massive impact on my daily life.
“But I have escaped death three times in the past year so every day is precious and I have vowed never to use the phrase ‘one day, I’ll…’ or ‘it would be lovely to…’.
“I’m determined to do everything I’ve had my heart set on.”
What are the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism?
Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include:
- difficulty breathing that comes on suddenly
- chest pain that’s worse when you breathe in
- coughing up blood
You may also have pain, redness and swelling in one of your legs (usually the calf).
These are symptoms of a blood clot, also called DVT (deep vein thrombosis).
Source: The NHS