Bone cancer mum sacrifices chemo to give birth, now has only months to live

This article is more than 12 months old

Jan 23, 2015 08:40 pm

Ashley Bridges, 24, was newly engaged and pregnant with her second child when doctors broke serious news to her - she had bone cancer.

It began in 2012 when Mrs Bridges, from California, complained she suffered aches in her knee.

Doctors thought the 24-year-old was suffering from arthritis or bursitis and she was told to live with the pain.

However a year later, the pain grew too excruciating for Mrs Bridges and she was told to visit a specialist.

An X-ray confirmed that Mrs Bridges had osteosarcoma.

Could have had more time

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"I was like, no. 'Cause who thinks when their knee hurts that they have bone cancer?" she said.

"The doctor that I went to repeatedly and repeatedly telling him something wasn't right probably cost me my life.

"I could have had more time."

Mrs Bridges, who was 10 weeks pregnant, underwent a surgery to replace her knee and remove her femur.

Doctors also advised her to undergo immediate chemotherapy - a treatment Mrs Bridges adamantly refused, knowing the full risk it posed to her unborn child.

"They told me what would likely happen to Paisley, that you know, she most likely wouldn't make it and I just knew. It wasn't a choice to me. It was like this is what needs to be done. She's first. I'm not going to kill a healthy baby because I'm sick. There's nothing wrong with her. Her life is just as important as mine if not more important. I mean as a mother my job is to protect my kids."

- Mrs Bridges

In June, Mrs Bridges gave birth to her daughter, Paisley.

But doctors told her not long after that the cancer had spread throughout her body, including her brain, and gave her a few months to live.

"When they told me that, I think 'Oh my gosh, I am really dying. I'm not going to beat this,'" said Mrs Bridges.

Fighter

Mrs Bridges wedded Jonathan Caughey in November last year after their wedding date was pushed forward.

She has begun documenting almost every moment in her life.

"I love that my kids are actually going to see me fighting instead of it being like, you know, 'Your mom was this. Your mom was that. Your mom fought as hard as she could,'" said Mrs Bridges.

"They're actually going to see my love for them, Paisley is going to know how much I love her."