Woman, 40, Was Told Her Rib Pain And Shortness of Breath Was Due to ‘Her Baby’s Feet’ And ‘Asthma During Pregnancy:’ But It Was Cancer, And She Needed an Emergency C-Section

Scans revealed that the expectant mother had four liters of fluid in her lungs, which was inhibiting her breathing.

“To think I had four orange juice bottles of liquid in my lungs is still surreal,” she said. “This came as a huge shock to me, I was young, fit, strong. I had been touring the world. I was busy, busy,” she said. And also 35 weeks pregnant. Jodee had to have an emergency C-section.

“That was the most stressful thing for me, all I could think about was whether my cancer had spread to my baby,” she said of the terribly stressful experience. “All I wanted to know is if she was going to be OK.”

Related: Pregnant Mom, 22, Was Told By Doctors Her Strange Leg And Pelvis Pain Was 'A Harmless Cyst:' It Turned Out To Be Cancer

Jodee’s cancer had spread to her liver, spine and brain, and also to her placenta. Thankfully, her baby Evie was okay and declared cancer-free. Two years later, so is her momat least for now. Advanced stage lung cancer is technically considered incurable, but thankfully it has been managed for Jodee.

“The doctors say the treatment will eventually stop working and the cancer will come back. That’s when they will consider chemotherapy and radiation,” she said, explaining how quality of life was important for the new mom, and her medical team decided they will cross that bridge when they come to it.

Related: Mom-To-Be, 28, Told Trouble Breathing After Fertility Procedure Was Allergies Is Diagnosed With Lung Cancer While 23 Weeks Pregnant

For now, Jodee is grateful for every moment of every day with her daughter. “It is a pretty devastating way to start parenthood and it sounds cliché but I still think ‘why me?,'” she said.

‘Why Me?’ Dealing With the Inevitable Questions That Come After a Cancer Diagnosis

Getting Diagnosed with Lung Cancer

The news of a cancer diagnosis, regardless of its type, is life-changing and devastatingand the stages of accepting cancer is different for everyone. It is typically followed by a plethora of questions, worries, and concerns. You may experience a gamut of emotions from fear, stress, anger, and even depression. You may worry about treatment side effects, overall healthcare costs, and the impact this disease may have on your family, career, and life. (And in Jodee’s case, she had to worry about the health of a new life on top of it.)

We Need To Be Catching Lung Cancer Early

All of these thoughts, feelings, and concerns are normal and part of the stages of grief. Though these emotions will be overwhelming at times, learning how to take a step back and progress through the stages of accepting cancer will help you prioritize the most important steps in this journey.

That is to say, having a rational path to follow in the coming days or even months can help you make educated decisions about your health.

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