In the Summer of 2021, I started losing weight. As an avid CrossFit athlete, I thought it was from working hard in the gym. Next came fatigue; I just thought I was doing too much. Then night sweats, well, it was a hot summer, and we had no AC. Next was the “itchies.” Finally came the swollen lymph nodes. I couldn’t explain those, so I went to the doctor. After an ultrasound revealed more swollen lymph nodes in my neck, a biopsy was ordered. On September 9, 2021, I was diagnosed with lymphoma, though the results were inconclusive, my doctor strongly suspected Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). I immediately started researching and found the Blood Cancer United (formerly LLS) website. It quickly became my lifeline as I pored over the resources for patients, especially treatment options. When I met with my hematologist, he ordered another biopsy, which occurred in early October. The results were again inconclusive, and he took my case to the tumor board at the hospital. They eventually determined it was stage III Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Armed with the knowledge I gained from Blood Cancer United, we discussed my treatment options. We decided on the A+AVD, and on November 15, 2021, I started treatment. I vowed to continue my workouts.
On December 22, 2021, I saw a post from Blood Cancer United about a fellow HL survivor, and I learned the phrase #cuteandwinning. It became my motto. I was going to win and look cute in the process. So, I started doing my makeup for appointments and treatment sessions. Even so, treatment wasn’t always a walk in the park (especially when I developed neuropathy), but on April 18, 2022, I rang the bell. In the Fall of 2022, my family and I did Light The Night for the first time and have been participating every year since!
On November 28, 2022, my oncologist told me I was NED. Over the course of the next two years, there were a few hiccups in the bloodwork, but scans continued to show NED. On December 16, 2024, my oncologist declared my labs perfect, and I no longer need periodic bloodwork or scans. I am cancer-free!
Keri
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
