Olivia Munn shares 'hardest thing' about cancer battle

Olivia Munn shares ‘hardest thing’ about cancer battle

Olivia Munn found one of the “hardest things” in her cancer battle was being unable to pick up her son after surgery.

The 43-year-old actress has undergone four operations, a double mastectomy and been placed in medically-induced menopause over the last 12 months after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and while the days after her first surgery were tough because of the pain she was in, her situation really hit home a few days later when little Malcolm, now two, wanted her to carry him.

She told People magazine: “When I woke up, it was really painful and I was really out of it, and I had actually lost a lot of blood and my surgery went from what was supposed to be an 8-hour surgery to a 10-hour surgery because of that blood loss.

“So the first part is tough because it’s just a lot of pain. You’ve gone through a massive surgery and I didn’t really at that time think about what I had lost, because you’re all bandaged up.

“Then when I get home, three days later, Malcolm runs up and he said, ‘Mama, pick [me] up?’

“And I said, ‘Oh I can’t pick you up.’ And I squatted down to give him a hug, and then he just sat on my leg and goes, ‘But Mama, pick [me] up!’ That was probably one of the hardest things because all you want to do is pick up your baby.”

The ‘Newroom’ actress – who has Malcolm with partner John Mulaney – has struggled with exhaustion from her surgeries and as a side effect of the medication she was taking.

She said: “I think the hardest thing is that I’ve spent a lot of time in bed.

“One time I asked Malcolm, ‘Where does Daddy work?’ And he ran to his office and pointed to his desk. And I said, ‘Where does Mommy work?’ And he ran to my bed, and that crushed me.”

But her energy levels are improving and Olivia finds particular joy in being with her little boy.

She said: “I’m finding more energy and he’s happy, so it makes me happy.

“When I’m with Malcolm, it’s really the only time your brain doesn’t think about that you’re sick.

“I’m just so happy with him. I’m just so happy in life. I mean, he’s just the most fun little person.

“He’s so communicative and fun and laughs so much. And it really puts a lot of stuff into perspective. Because if my body changes, I’m still his mom.

“If I have hot flashes, I’m still his mom. If I lose my hair, I’m still his mom. That’s what really matters to me, I get to be here for him.”