A mum who dismissed her nosebleeds as ‘hay fever’ was shocked to discover she had cancer and needed her entire nose removed. Ellen Mccleary first noticed the nosebleeds in July 2023 after coming back from a holiday, attributing them to hay fever – a condition she regularly battles with and something particularly widespread that year.
However, when the nosebleeds started happening up to three times a day, the 46 year old reached out to her GP and was given antibiotics for what was thought to be hay fever. It wasn’t until Ellen started coughing up blood clots that she secured an ENT appointment at Royal Victoria Infirmary in October 2023.
The mother-of-six underwent a biopsy and CT scan, which uncovered a malignant tumour hiding behind her nasal bone that was “creeping” towards her brain. Ellen went under the knife later that month, expecting only the tumour to be removed, but woke up from the six-hour operation without a nose.
The school dinner supervisor explained that she has to clean the cavity where her nose used to be every day, and it occasionally leaks mucus since she can’t blow her nose, reports the Daily Star. Ellen has switched prosthetic noses seven times as her face continues to heal and is currently waiting for a magnetic nose. While Ellen insists she can continue with daily activities, she finds herself getting breathless during tasks such as hoovering.
Ellen, from Carlisle, Cumbria, explained: “I had a very dry nose but didn’t think anything of it. We went on holiday, came back and the nose bleeds started. I thought it was my hay fever, I called the doctor and they didn’t see me but prescribed antibiotics for my nose because they thought it was my hay fever. I get hay fever quite bad. It was everyday, it didn’t matter what time of day, sometimes it was three times a day.
“The nosebleeds started happening more regularly and I started coughing up blood clots so I made an appointment with the doctors. The doctor had a look up my nose and said there is nothing there so he referred us to ENT.” She continued: “In August I was coughing blood clots, my nose wouldn’t stop bleeding. They did a biopsy and a CT scan and that’s when they found it was behind the bone of my nose.
“When they told me I burst into tears, that’s when I let it all out. I stopped smoking and drinking. All sorts were going through my head.
“By the end of October when I was getting the operation, I thought I was just getting my nose cut open, removing the cancer and closing it back up. But it grew in two weeks after being seen going towards my brain, and that’s why I had to get it removed. I’m getting a magnetic nose. It does get sore and I don’t wear it in the house. I do get out of breath now, I never used to. I vacuum and I’m out of breath. I did not have any other symptoms. Everyday life is the same to be honest, the only thing that’s different is that I’ve got no nose.
“You do need to clean it everyday because I’ve got no hair inside it and I do have problems when it leaks mucus. I can’t blow my nose so I have to twist it out with a toilet roll. I’m on the seventh prosthetic noise because it shrinks when it’s healing.” Ellen disclosed that it took her 18 months to confront her reflection and she boldly gives two fingers to those who stare at her in public.
After her operation, Ellen endured six weeks of radiotherapy and is now celebrating being cancer-free whilst keeping a hopeful attitude. She is now dedicated to spreading awareness about the warning signs of nose cancer, urging others to get medical help if they suffer regular nosebleeds. Ellen explained: “It took me a year and a half just to look at it. I got a really good friend who said ‘if anyone stares at you, just ignore them, you don’t need to lock yourself away.'”.
“I stick two fingers up at them. Sometimes I have the prosthetic on, sometimes I’ll wear my dressing.
“I had radiotherapy for six weeks till the end of January, I lost a bit of hair and a bit of my eyebrows.
“I’m cancer free but keeping an eye on it very well. I’m positive, you’ve got to keep positive. I’ve made friends online which is helping me through.
“Push at the doctor’s, doesn’t matter if it’s a small or heavy nosebleed, go to the doctor’s and if they fob you off, push.
“They said they caught it in time but don’t know what stage it was.”
