Bonny Colville-Hyde's corner of the internet

Cancer

I began using comics to explore my experience of life after my cancer diagnosis in the summer of 2023, while I was waiting for my first CT scan results. I was told I would get my results in two weeks, but it actually took nearly two months. This period of time was extremely stressful, and the drawings I did are full of the cocktail of fear I was feeling at the time.

Pencil drawn four panel comic depicting me worrying about getting my scan results and playing Pokemon Go on my phone to distract me.
I’m so worried about my test results, Summer 2023
Four individual comic panels depicting worrying about getting a phone call from the hospital with test results.
I’ve been waiting a month for the CALL, Summer 2023
Six panel comic depicting me waiting for a call from the hospital genetics team. I am seen drawing on my bed, holding my head in my hands, picking the skin on my fingers, looking at my watch, looking at my phone - to distract myself.
Genetics call tomorrow, Genetics call today, Spring 2024
Simple panel-less comic showing me carrying rocks and bags with the labels, cancer, old issues, new problems.
Having cancer doesn’t make other problems go away, Autumn 2023
Single panel comic depicting four black radiating shapes across my torso.
I keep thinking I must be riddled with it, Spring 2024

Why didn’t I know I was ill?

I drew this rough comic a year and a half after getting my diagnosis. I spent a lot of time thinking about how unwell I had been before I was diagnosed and was trying to get my head around how I’d not realised how ill I actually was.

Single panel showing me looking down saying "I keep thinking, why didn't I know how ill I was? I felt so awful for so long. I just kept going, but slower and slower.
Why didn’t I know I was ill?, Panel 1 of 7, October 2023
Two pages showing me clutching my frozen shoulder, clutching my tummy with bad periods and loosing lots of hair on my hairbrush.
Why didn’t I know I was ill?, Panels 2 & 3 of 7, October 2023
Two pages depicting me pushing my daughter in her pushchair, clutching my tummy, and looking very tired and sad.
Why didn’t I know I was ill?, Panels 4 & 5 of 7, October 2023
Two pages depicting me not sleeping due to pain, clutching my tummy and staring at the moon above a forest.
Why didn’t I know I was ill?, Panels 6 & 7 of 7, October 2023

Blockage

A two page comic depicting a painful blockage/complication with my ileostomy.

Two pages of illustrations showing me going to the cinema, having omelette and chips, rolling on the floor in agony, having hot water to drink, rubbing my tummy then sleeping in bed exhausted.
Blockage, 3rd February 2024