I had dry eyes then was violently ill after a glass of wine… now I have months left to live at just 28

AS Caoimhe Jennings looked out at the picturesque beach in Thailand, she hoped it would be a trip to remember. And it was – but for all the wrong reasons. Feeling violently ill after just a couple of drinks, 28-year-old Caoimhe thought she had methanol poisoning – after deaths of backpackers in Laos – but was also suffering dry eyes and bouts of memory loss. Caoimhe, 28, feared she had methanol poisoning during her holiday to Thailand Credit: JamPress She had also been suffering dry eyes and bouts of memory loss Credit: JamPress Her symptoms had culminated on her dream holiday with partner Ollie, who was celebrating his 30th birthday. They were eager to make memories that would last a lifetime but Caoimhe, from Derry, Ireland, complained of increasingly strange symptoms. The tax specialist tells Sun Health: “I thought I was completely losing my marbles. “We had been sitting for dinner at the beach when the tide seemed a bit higher than the night before. “I was absolutely convinced there was about to be a tsunami, so I made Ollie go back to the hotel with me. “I also had convinced myself that I was feeling unwell because of methanol poisoning from one sip of an alcoholic drink. “I was proper paranoid. “On a boat cruise, there were giant lizards along the side of the water. “What’s really crazy is that I couldn’t see them – at all – even though they were four-feet long and easily visible in all our photos.” Another instance that left her worrying something worse was at play was when she suddenly forgot how to ride a bike. Caoimhe had felt violently ill after just a couple of drinks Credit: JamPress After experiencing double vision, she was urged to attend hospital Credit: JamPress It began weeks earlier in January 2025, when Caoimhe had a bout of dry eyes. She was advised to use some eye drops to help ease the symptoms; but this had little-to-no effect. While she wasn’t a big drinker, she would often enjoy a glass or two of wine in the evening. But, when she woke up violently ill one morning, not even able to hold down water, it rang alarm bells for her. She had just scored a brand new job, which had scope for her to move back to Ireland after living in Liverpool. She put her symptoms, however, down to stress and her start date was confirmed – the week before they were due to jet off on trip to Thailand. Sadly, after her trip, things only continued to decline to the point where it was clear to her that her body was giving up. She once wet herself completely out-of-the-blue while sober and woke up one morning with her entire face and feet swollen. Then, Caoimhe also began to experience double vision, so she visited her local opticians for a scan. When the results came back, she was advised to get to A&E immediately. She said: “The doctor’s face dropped as I told them what was going on. “I truly thought it would be nothing. The couple got married in January 2026 Credit: JamPress Pictured, Caoimhe after surgery Credit: JamPress “Within an hour, I was in surgery for hydrocephalus, where they had to put a drain in my brain to rid of the excess fluid.” Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain. The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, which can damage it. If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal. Caoimhe added: “And then, the next morning they told me there was a large brain tumour at the centre of my brain.” In September 2025, she underwent further surgery, which involved poking a hole in the membrane to encourage it to drain itself. As the tumour was in such a tricky position, it was unable to be removed. The surgery also came with the risk of death, so Ollie took his chance to propose. He was planning to do so the following weekend, but pulled this idea forward before it was potentially too late. Luckily, the procedure was a success – and, even though there was a long road to recovery ahead, she was excited for the future. But tragically, in October, it was confirmed that the tumour had mutated and was terminal. She said: “When I asked what the life expectancy was, they told me it was months, not years. “Chemotherapy wouldn’t help at this stage and while radiotherapy wouldn’t shrink the tumour, it could buy me some time.” Ollie proposed shortly before Caoimhe’s surgery in September Credit: JamPress The most common symptoms of a brain tumour More than 12,000 Brits are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour every year, of which around half are cancerous, with 5,300 losing their lives. The disease is the most deadly cancer in children and adults aged under 40, according to the Brain Tumour Charity. Brain tumours reduce life expectancies by an average of 27 years, with just 12 per cent of adults surviving five years after diagnosis. There are two main types, with non-cancerous benign tumours growing more slowly and being less likely to return after treatment. Cancerous malignant brain tumours can either start in the brain or spread there from elsewhere in the body and are more likely to return. Brain tumours can cause headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting and memory problems, according to the NHS. They can also lead to changes in personality weakness or paralysis on one side of the problem and problems with speech or vision. The nine most common symptoms are: Headaches Seizures Feeling sick Being sick Memory problems Change in personality Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body Vision problems Speech problems If you are suffering any of these symptoms, particularly a headache that feels different from the ones you normally get, you should visit your GP. Source: NHS Caohime spent the weeks leading up to the surgery planning her wedding and in January 2026, they became husband and wife. Now, even though each day is being treated as her last, the tumour has shown signs of shrinking, which has proved hopeful. To not waste another second, Caoimhe has retired from her career and is using her pension to live the best life she can. She added: “I’m trying to stay positive about it all now. “I’m in no pain compared to what I was like this time last year. “I weirdly see myself as very lucky compared to other people in these situations. “I have an amazing husband, a supportive family that isn’t giving up on me and great in-laws who would do absolutely anything for me. “I know I’m going to die young, but I’m not accepting the months they’ve given me – I’m praying for years. “I’m making the most of every day and I’ve recently started baking. “I’m either getting good at it – or no one wants to upset the girl with cancer.”