Loving Mom is Diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma
- A mom in the UK was told her tiredness was the result of recently giving birth; she was later diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
- She also had swollen glands and unexplained weight loss. She had chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant to treat her cancer.
- Always push for more tests and a second opinion if you're not getting answers about your body and your illness.
MacLeod, 44, said, “Doctors told me I was just tired from having a baby it ended up being rare cancer,” reports The Mirror.
Read MoreLouise’s Battle with Hodgkin Lymphoma
MacLeod, a mom of two in the UK, says doctors dismissed her initial cancer symptoms, saying it was tiredness from childbirth. She had to fight to be seen by specialists when her GP told her motherhood was to blame for her symptoms. The mom discovered a lump on her neck nine months after giving birth, and she and her husband knew something was wrong. She also had swollen glands and unexplained weight loss.She was told the cause was laryngitis and childbirth. She was later diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma after seeing a specialist. To treat her cancer, she underwent chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, for which her brother supplied the donor marrow.
She said, "I'm so lucky that my amazing brother was a willing match for the transplant, the care and support I received from my family, friends and the team at St James' was incredible."
What To Expect During Recovery After a Bone Marrow Transplant
Pushing for Answers
When working with your medical team, tell them precisely what you feel and raise anything that may feel off to you. Every symptom should have a plan to address it, and if you feel like you are not being heard, continue to push and seek a second opinion if your concerns are not being addressed.
Related: Second Opinions on Your Cancer Diagnosis or Treatment: Do You Need One?
The only way to know this is to continue to push for answers, telling your medical team exactly what you are experiencing and demanding that you receive the best treatment for your specific situation.
"Every appointment you leave as a patient, there should be a plan for what the doc is going to do for you, and if that doesn't work, what the next plan is," Dr. Zuri Murell, director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "And I think that that's totally fair. And me as a health professional that's what I do for all of my patients."
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate… Don't Settle
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