When we post things to the Internet, we open ourselves up to the commentary of others — and it's not always commentary we want to hear. In Jean Williams Taylor's case, she was interested in what other people had to say about her fingernails, and it might have saved her life.
Jean is a 53-year-old grandmother of three from Manchester, England. She had kept her nails short most of her life. She recently began growing them out and noticed they were growing in a curve around her fingertips. Sure, it seemed strange, but Jean didn't give it much thought as she recalled her own mother having similar nails. She posted a photo of her "ugly fingernails" on Facebook and was quickly urged by a friend who saw it to seek medical attention.
What happened next was nothing Jean could have ever imagined, as a series of tests over the next two weeks revealed a serious illness that she had no idea she had.
When Jean first started growing out her fingernails, she thought it was strange that they were curling around her fingertips.
The grandmother of three wrote it off as a genetic quirk. Her mother had the same kind of nails when she grew them out.
But it wasn't just a quirk. What Jean didn't know was that "ugly fingernails" are actually symptomatic of something much more serious.
Jean's daughter, Stephanie, did some research to find out what caused the unusual fingernails. She found that it could be a clubbed fingernail and that clubbed fingernails could indicate a number of health issues.
Jean followed up with a doctor, telling the Manchester Evening News, "I felt ridiculous going to the doctor over a curved nail. I just thought I was wasting their time."
But before she knew it, she was asked to undergo a barrage of tests.
Three weeks later, she was given an unexpected diagnosis.
Jean was diagnosed with Stage 1 lung cancer. Thanks to early detection, Jean was given a 70% chance of survival. The diagnosis was shocking to Jean, whose own mother had lost half a lung to lung cancer. It turned out "ugly fingernails" weren't what actually ran in the family.
Jean was optimistic about the diagnosis and even painted her nails a bright, glittery silver to celebrate how they saved her life.
She decided to take to Facebook to share her experience with others and increase awareness.
As people shared their own stories of coming to the same diagnosis, it became clear how lucky Jean is to have detected the illness early.
It's incredible how often a change in fingernails is ignored by both patients afflicted with it and medical professionals in the process of diagnosing illness.
Some people who lost loved ones knew they had clubbed fingernails but had no idea it was related to the illness.
While many of the stories had sad endings, some people were able to fight back and present messages of hope.
Many people within the medical field were quick to jump in and note that lung cancer is not the only illness linked to clubbed fingernails. Of course, it's always best to leave the diagnosing to medical professionals.
If you're wondering how to tell for yourself whether your nails are indicating a problem, many people recommended this at-home test where you put your fingers together, nail-to-nail.
If there's a gap (preferably in diamond formation), you're in good shape. If not, it's worth mentioning to a doctor.
Some people seemed upset that the post simplified the complicated process of a cancer diagnosis. But as one cancer survivor pointed out, anything that raises awareness and gets people talking to their doctors increases chances of survival.
It was so smart and helpful of Jean to share her experience so that other people can keep an eye out. We wish her the best of luck with her treatment!
