I was diagnosed in August 2018 with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and at that time, I was seven months postpartum with my daughter who was only 7 months old, and my son was 8 years old. It was a surprise to hear that I had stage 4 cancer! But after my oncologist explained to me what HL was and what the treatment was, I knew that it was treatable.
I started chemotherapy in October 2018, and after a month of chemotherapy, I relapsed because my insurance company was giving me a difficult time with chemotherapy treatment approval. Cancer had spread to my lungs, and I also had a baseball-size lymph node under my right arm and in my left groin area. I was in constant pain and couldn’t even dress myself, and I couldn’t pick up my baby girl.
At that moment, I knew it was really bad, and my doctor referred me to Mount Sinai Hospital to my current oncologist. She discussed what I needed to do to fight this illness. And within a few days of my daughter’s first birthday at the end of January 2019, I started intensive chemotherapy treatments for a week straight, 10+ hours every day, non-stop chemo, and then every two weeks of regular treatments.
In April 2019, I had a stem cell transplant and a month of hospital stays. From June through August 2019, I had 15 radiation treatments and achieved remission in November 2019. The Covid pandemic in 2020 postponed many treatments and follow-up appointments. And in July 2020 through June 2021, I had 16 precautionary treatments.
My past few Pet/CT scans have been good. But on my last CT scan, there was a small visual in my left thyroid, so I had a thyroid biopsy in early December 2021. Now I have to see an ENT specialist.
The past few years have been really tough, but I am so glad that I have my family, kids, and friends who pray and encourage me to keep fighting! Also, I am thankful for my doctors and nurses who have been with me from the start.
Fannie
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
