Elgin teenager who lost leg to bone cancer spends first Christmas at home since amputation
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A TEENAGER from Elgin who lost her leg to bone cancer has spent her first Christmas at home since her amputation.
Abbie Howie was just 17 when she was diagnosed with the disease.
But thanks to support from Teenage Cancer Trust, she is now getting used to life with a new prosthetic leg and celebrated Christmas at home with her family.
She was also able to partake in the time honoured family tradition of putting the lights on the Christmas tree adding that she was determined that the amputation wouldn't stop her from doing so.
Abbie, who is now 18, said: “Last year I was in hospital for three months straight including over Christmas.
"My sister and I have a tradition where we decorate the tree together, but I couldn’t go home to do it which made me sad.
“It’s my job to put the lights on the tree, and this year it was a bit of a struggle but I was determined to do it.”
Abbie’s symptoms started in August 2022 when she started feeling very tired and was struggling to get up in the morning. She was also having night sweats.
“I’m an avid cyclist, so when my knee started feeling sore in the September, I thought I’d pulled a muscle," she said.
"It didn’t look right, and it started to become more swollen so I went to the doctors when the pain started to get worse.
“The doctors gave me an anti-inflammatory and I was told to come back two weeks later if I still had pain.
"The Naproxen helped with the pain - until the medicine wore off – and my knee was still swollen.
“I went back to the doctors and was given more Naproxen.
"Two weeks later, at the end of October 2022, I went to the doctors for a third time as it wasn’t improving.”
A 2022 survey showed that nearly half of teenagers and young adults diagnosed with cancer had to see their GP three or more times before referral – the most out of any age group.
Cancer in teenagers and young adults is still relatively rare and symptoms can often be mistaken for growing pains or infections.
Abbie said: “When I went to the doctors for the third time, it was the first time that they felt the lump. I was referred to Woodend General Hospital for an X-Ray and an MRI.
“While I was waiting for my appointment the pain and swelling was getting worse, so I went to the doctors again.
“I had my hospital appointment on November 1, and they did an X-Ray and an MRI.
“The consultant didn’t tell us straight away that it was cancer, but she said she was a specialist in sarcoma, and I knew what that meant so I started crying.
“My mum didn’t know what it meant. My dad was in the waiting room, and they brought him. The consultant said she was 99 per cent sure it was osteosarcoma.
“I had googled my symptoms and I’d seen sarcoma, but I’d put that to the back of my mind.”
Abbie needed chemotherapy and then limb salvage surgery, which would include a surgeon taking the tumour out and removing her knee and some bone above and below it and replacing it with a metal implant.
“I was at home waiting for my chemotherapy to start when I woke up feeling like my hip needed to click,” Abbie said.
“I got up, got dressed and went down the stairs. I laid down on the couch and tried to get up but the pain was horrific.
"A doctor came to the house and advised us to go to A&E at Dr Gray's Hospital.
“I had an X-Ray and was told that the tumour had weakened my femur, and it was a really brittle break.
"Instead of limb salvage surgery I needed an above the knee amputation. I was quite pragmatic about it, but my mum was really upset."
Abbie started chemotherapy on December 1 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The first cycle left her feeling nauseous for ten days straight and two further cycles kept her in the hospital until February 2023.
Another MRI before her surgery also showed a "potential tumour" in Abbie's thigh due to the break.
She was told that the amputation would need to remove her left hip joint as well as her leg to ensure none of the tumour was left behind.
Abbie said: “By now, I had been in a hospital bed for three months and I couldn’t stand up, so I was ready for an operation, and I thought I’d deal with it afterwards.
“After the operation in March 2023, I spent a week in hospital recovering.
"I was allowed home before having my last chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
“My wound needed to heal a bit before I got my prosthetic, and I received it in August 2023.
"I had to learn to walk with it and I took it home with me in September. I’m getting pretty good at walking with it now.
“I used to love cycling and one of my first thoughts after my diagnosis was will I be able to cycle again?
"I’ve already tried to get on the bike without my prosthetic, but I couldn’t bring my peddle back up. I’ve adapted the bike a bit.
"I’m determined that the amputation won’t stop me getting back on my bike and I can’t wait to get out."
Abbie says she wants to help others who have had amputations.
She added: "An amputee came to visit me in hospital before I had my surgery and chatting to her about her experience really helped.
“I have already been to visit a couple of people to help and reassure them that they will still be able to do what they want to do.
“My dream has always been to be a vet. I’m going to make my dream come true."
Lindsay Howie, Abbie’s mum, said it was incredibly hard to see her daughter go through so much pain.
Lindsay said: “I wish I could have taken that pain away from Abbie.
“My advice to other parents who are going through something similar is to take it one day at a time.
“Looking back now, I don’t know how we coped.
"We live two and a half hours away from the hospital and my husband and I couldn’t both have time off work at the same time, so we had to take turns.
“Abbie is having immunotherapy until January 2024, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel."
By sharing her story, Abbie is encouraging people to support Teenage Cancer Trust’s campaign ‘Stop Cancer Destroying Teenage Lives’, to ensure that young people receive specialist care and support when they are diagnosed with cancer.
To find out more and to donate, visit: teenagecancertrust.org/stopcancernow.
