Inspirational Stories
Angelika
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
Ewa Beach, HI United States
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 1-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 rashes all over my body for an entire week and addressed my cough problem. When my doctor realized I had my cough problem for 2 months he decided to order an X-ray & CT scan...
Sadly, it shockingly showed a 15cm mass on my left lung & a 5cm mass in my left neck area. The 15cm mass basically inhabited my entire left lung, restricting my airways & 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 are malignant and so large, doctors grew concerned for me & acted as quickly as they can 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 6 rounds of chemotherapy, totaling 12 sessions on January 31, 2022. The most dreadful and challenging 5 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 is the reason that kept me going. She gives me life and the strength to keep going.
