A young Scottish man has said Covid actually saved his life after beating cancer and sepsis.
Alastair Gibson, 23, was suffering with a persistent cough which he had no idea was a deadly form of cancer. Only when he caught Covid months later did doctors carry out further tests and discovered he had Hodgkin Lymphoma, which was at an advanced stage.
During his chemotherapy, he developed sepsis but managed to fight off the life-threatening infection.
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According to the Daily Record, Alastair, who has just been given the all-clear from cancer, said: “Two weeks ago the doctor sat me down after a routine follow up scan and said ‘Well it’s all gone.’ If I’d never caught Covid then I’d never have found out I had cancer.
"In a roundabout way, catching Covid saved my life.”
The Inverness local started coughing in March of last year but was unable to get an in-person appointment with his GP. The following August he tested positive for Covid and began coughing up blood so contacted his doctor.
It was suspected he was suffering from Long Covid or Pneumonia and was referred to hospital for further investigation. In February, an ear, nose and throat specialist removed a swollen lymph node in his neck which later revealed that Alistair had the rare and aggressive cancer.
The sheriff court officer said: “Initially they took biopsies but when they didn’t get enough, they decided to remove the whole lymph gland which they tested and discovered I had cancer. I sat down with my dad and the doctor who told me it was Hodgkins Lymphoma and it was stage four.
"I was in total shock and disbelief. I even said to the doctor ‘Okay it’s Hodgkins lymphoma, but it’s not cancer’ and he said that was exactly what it was.
“I then had an X-ray which showed cancer all over my body. All the cancer basically lit up the X-ray like I was glowing.”
Alastair, who also volunteers as an American football coach with the Highland Stags, began chemotherapy the next day. During his 21-day treatment, he developed sepsis and spent nearly two weeks in the ICU before returning to the sessions.
Alastair said other than having a cough, he felt well and had no other symptoms. Now, after six cycles of chemotherapy, he is finally cancer free.
He said: “The first cycle of chemotherapy just broke me. They gave me a high dose and I remember sitting in the hospital and my hair falling out in chunks.
“During chemotherapy if your temperature rises above 38 degrees you have to go to hospital. One night I felt horrible but thought it was just the chemotherapy acting. Then I got up about 3am and collapsed.
“I got rushed to hospital in an ambulance where they discovered I had sepsis. I spent 11 days in the ICU.
“In about two months I’d played our last league game, had biopsies done, had a lymph node removed, was told I had cancer and then started chemotherapy.
“I never had any symptoms other than the cough and felt fine. I couldn’t believe what was happening to me.
“Telling my family about my diagnosis was the hardest part. I wanted to stay strong for them but telling my mum Kim it was stage four was incredibly difficult.
“My mum would come and see me in hospital and I’d put a brave face on for her but I’d break down the minute she left as I knew how hard it was on her seeing me go through this.
“After sepsis, I was to start chemotherapy again and I remember sitting in the waiting room with my dad Hughie telling him, ‘I don’t think I can do this. I can’t go through with this anymore,’ and my dad just being in bits telling me I couldn’t stop treatment.
“I was the youngest in the ward by far and one doctor told me that I was the only one being treated for recovery, everyone else was being treated to slow their cancer down. That really hit me.”
Alistair refused to give up his coaching role during his treatment and is now preparing to get back into playing.
He added: “I stayed pragmatic and continued to coach for our team. I couldn’t go to away games but I would watch back the videos of games and did all the tactical stuff.
“I really want to thank our team the Highland Stags who have been brilliant in supporting me. They all even shaved their heads and raised over £3,000.
“I also really want to thank Leanne from Teenage Cancer Trust who was with me during it all.
“I’m not back playing yet but I’m coaching this year’s senior team and I’m looking forward to getting back on the field.”
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