In early May 2022, I was experiencing a lingering chronic cough that occurred 24/7 ― nonstop coughing, difficulty breathing, and shortness of breath. Coughing fits would be so unbearable. The harder I coughed, most times I would end up vomiting. At this point, as a full-time, stay-at-home mom, it was difficult for me to care for my one-year-old daughter (at the time) as my health slowly declined, and other symptoms started to arise. On July 13, 2022, I decided to see my primary doctor after I broke out in hives and a rash all over my body for an entire week and to address my cough problem. When my doctor realized I had a cough problem for two months, he decided to order an X-ray and CT scan. Sadly, it shockingly showed a 15 cm mass on my left lung and a 5 cm mass on my left neck area. The 15 cm mass basically inhabited my entire left lung, restricting my airways and causing pressure on my lung.
As the days and weeks passed, I was dealing with never-ending, back-to-back appointments with different doctors, more tests, scans, and a biopsy. Finally, on August 8, 2022, I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Being that both masses were malignant and so large, doctors grew concerned for me and acted as quickly as they could to provide me with the best care that my body needed.
I started my first round of chemo on August 31, 2022, and I've recently just completed my six rounds of chemotherapy, totaling 12 sessions on January 31, 2022. They were the most dreadful and challenging five months of my entire existence. I'm so glad this part is over. I remember the fear and the nervousness that I had on my first chemo session. I just wanted to go home to my daughter and cry. I couldn't believe I was going through this type of situation. My daughter, she is the reason that I kept going. She gives me life and the strength to keep going.
Angelika
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
