Tracy Shaw was diagnosed with breast cancer in April (Image: Instagram/Tracy Shaw)
Former Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw made a heartbreaking admission after being rushed to A&E. The ex-soap star, 52, admitted she has “no strength left” as she struggles to cope with the side effects of chemotherapy following her breast cancer diagnosis in April. Taking to Instagram 10 days after completing her round of chemotherapy, Tracy opened up about her current state, admitting she feels “as vulnerable as a baby”.
Former Coronation Street star Tracy Shaw recently shared a poignant revelation following an emergency trip to the hospital. The 52-year-old actress, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April, opened up about the debilitating side effects of her chemotherapy, expressing that she feels utterly drained of strength. In a candid Instagram post shared ten days after completing her chemotherapy cycle, Tracy confessed to feeling “as vulnerable as a baby.”
With tears in her eyes, Tracy described how doctors have prescribed her additional medication to manage the impacts on her body. She detailed her ordeal by saying, “Day 10 after chemo. Another visit to A&E, spent most of the day asleep. I now have creams for thrush affecting my nose, mouth, ears, and head. I’m constantly running to the bathroom, and my strength is completely gone.”
She continued, “In my mind, I hoped there might be a reprieve a week post-chemo, but this is how the treatment has affected my body.”
“The chemotherapy attacks everything, including the lining of my stomach, leaving me without any strength,” she explained.
Tracy also shared how her heightened sensitivity has made it challenging to be around people and noise. “It feels like I’m as vulnerable as a baby. It’s incredibly difficult being around others and dealing with sounds. My ears, they’re just so sensitive,” she revealed.
She told her followers that she would normally turn to her son for help, but as he was attending a wedding, a neighbour stepped in to support her.
She went on: “So without the help of my neighbour Robbie, who has no end of times I’ve had to call him for things, he had to get out of bed to get me to A&E and then we had hours in A&E, given a prescription. When we got it to a chemist, they hadn’t got it in so he went on his motorbike to some other chemists to try and get hold of the prescription.
“This is just something we have to do. I guess they don’t give you every prescription that they think might happen. I don’t know, is this because of money? I don’t know.”
Tracy added: “But this is really painful and I was just looking forward to not having to inject anymore and to stop having the bone marrow pain to then have these extra setbacks, really, which seems to be from what I hear from you survivors, that you have done on your own and survived this – you are just incredible.”
Tracy starred as Maxine Peacock from 1995 to 2003 (Image: ITV)
Tracy’s followers were quick to rally around her, including several Coronation Street stars, who left heartfelt messages in the comments section.
“Sending love darling xx,” penned Kym Marsh as Tracy Barlow star Kate Ford echoed: “Sending you my love xxx.”
Steve McDonald actor Simon Gregson added: “Sending love, trace xx.”
Antony Cotton, who has played Sean Tully since 2003, commented: “When you’re going through hell…keep going. Love and power to you x”
Tracy starred as Maxine Peacock on the ITV soap from 1995 to 2003, when her character was murdered by serial killer Richard Hillman (Brian Capron).