A much-loved gran who had a sore back and a cough died just six weeks after receiving a devastating diagnosis.
Karen Spencer, 52, whose heartbroken family described her as 'funny, loud and quirky', passed away five days before Christmas.
The teaching assistant, from Barnton, Northwich, had a cough for a 'long time' as well as a bad back and had multiple visits to the doctors. Karen had a chest X-ray, which came back normal, and she was given an inhaler and nasal spray, reports CheshireLive.
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But in October, she became more unwell and started to lose her appetite. Initially, Karen started to have chest pains at the beginning of November and husband Nigel took her to A&E where tests showed she had stage four lung cancer.
Her daughter Rachael Wilson said: "Everything has happened so quickly. We were still trying to get our heads around the fact mum had cancer and before we knew it, she was on end of life care."
Karen's cancer spread to her liver, spine and pelvis but was able to go back home for a few weeks. The family put up the Christmas tree and Rachael and her partner Nick booked their wedding for December 23.
Rachael added: "Mum came with me to choose my wedding dress, which is a truly special moment I will treasure forever."
But Karen started to deteriorate and ended up back in hospital where she was 'constantly' on oxygen. The doctors believed the cancer had spread to her brain but Karen declined any more tests.
She wanted to be at home with her family so the hospital bed was moved and oxygen was delivered. Rachael said she remembers asking the doctors if it meant her mum was 'coming home to die', to which they replied: "We think so, it won't be long."
Rachael said: "Mum was a fighter. She was always a strong, determined lady and we got to spend almost two weeks at home with her where me and Nigel cared for her. I stayed over in my old room. Mum kept apologising as she was so used to caring for us and having the roles reversed was heartbreaking for us all."
Rachael and Nick had to postpone the wedding as Karen had become to ill. Rachael said she was 'devastated' but that she would 'always cherish' the memory of her mum seeing her in the wedding dress when they chose it together. After speaking with a nurse from Macmillan, Karen agreed to move into St Luke's Hospice. She was there for one week and died on December 20.
Paying tribute to her mum, Rachael said: "She was a funny, loud and quirky lady who said it how it was. She loved gardening - growing sunflowers and lilies as well as cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers in her green house."
She added that Karen 'loved her job' working as a teaching assistant at Russet School in Weaverham, where they have planted a tree in her memory. She also loved spending time with her grandchildren - Lucas, 12, and three-year-old Isla - when they stayed over on most weekends.
Rachael said: "Mum and her husband Nigel would go to Llandudno every year, stay in the same hotel and eat at the same pub. People would suggest trying somewhere new but mum loved to stick to what she knew and enjoyed!"
After Karen's death, Rachael launched a campaign on GoFundMe to raise money for St Luke's. She set a target of £1,000 but as of Tuesday afternoon (January 17) it had already raised £1,660.
Rachael said: "St Luke's were just amazing. All the staff would talk to us to see if we were OK and whether we needed anything. They treated mum with dignity and respect and I could see they genuinely cared. They pampered mum, painting her toe nails and giving her a massage.
"Before going there with mum, I had never been to St Luke's Hospice and didn't really know much about them. But it's such a special place and I'm so pleased to have raised so much for them already."
Anyone who wishes to donate to the cause can do so by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-karen-spencer-231269-201222
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