MY MOM'S STORY:
I'm LeAnne Hooper. I'm 48 years old. I am a wife, a mother of 3 sons, and a flight attendant. Six months ago my life changed forever. I got a diagnosis of cancer in August of 2019. Its stage 3, Non-hodgkin's Lymphoma, Follicular. This means it is a forever growing cancer. It will grow back continuously.
I started with chronic cough for several months, shortness of breath and severe headaches. I also thought i was having medical complications with my thyroid and parathyroid. My primary care doctor referred me to an ENT, Dr Kauffman in Aug 2019.
The ENT did ultrasounds on the thyroid and parathyroid. The results of the ultrasound confirmed a nodule on my thyroid and it also revealed swollen lymph nodes in my neck. Dr Kauffman decided to do needle biopsies on the lymph nodes. Needle biopsies showed positive results for cancer. Then surgery was scheduled to remove lymph nodes from the neck and have those biopsied as well. Those results came back positive as well for Follicular Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma it was time to be referred to an Oncologist.
I was referred to Dr Gena Volas-Redd Oncologist, in Sept 2019.. She ordered a PET Scan. Those results showed cancer in all the lymph nodes from neck to thigh. This is now Stage 3. The biggest lymph nodes are in the thighs. Those will be biopsied. Follicular cancer has the capabilities to transform into a very aggressive cancer. A bone marrow test was also ordered. Those test results were negative.
October 2019 i was referred to 2 Non-hodgkin's Lymphoma specialists. I also had to see an Endocrinologist and a Pulmonologist. The decision was made to do chemotherapy to treat the cancer. But the question was which kind of Chemotherapy, RCHOP, Rituxan, or Bendumustine? We chose Rituxan.
Nov 2019 was definitely my preparation month for chemo. I was given 9 prescriptions to fill. My medications included 1. Accolate, 2. Allipurinol, 3. Demerol injections, 4. Nexium, 5.Trazadone, 6. Tessalon Pearls, 7. Celexa,
8. Compazine, 9. Steroid pack.
I started chemo the week of Thanksgiving. I was scheduled for 1 treatment a week for 4 weeks then break for 30 days. Unfortunately i was allergic to the Rituxan therapy. Besides trying to handle the side effects of the therapy itself, i had to be treated for severe allergic reactions too. I did blood work every week that i had chemotherapy. The only good thing about the Rituxan is that patients do not lose their hair. Rituxan has mouse proteins in it to protect hair and scalp. I did have a few weeks where my red blood platelets were too low so chemo could not be administered. I did therapy all in December 2019 too.
This cancer journey has been quite an experience and an expensive one too.
Thank you for listening to my story.
LeAnne Hooper
