Tessa's Fight: Overcoming Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Hi. My name is Tessa Brooks. On December 9th of 2024, I visited a WellStar Urgent Care facility in need of care and a work note for a respiratory infection. Because pneumonia was popular at the time, I received a chest x-ray along with flu, strep, and covid testing. Tests came back negative but a 10x7cm mass was found in the center of my chest.

I immediately found an urgent care provider who put in an order for a CT scan and referred me to a STAT Cancer Clinic at Kenneston's Cancer Center. The next person I saw was a pulmonologist who is a part of this clinic. After looking at the scan, he thought it looked like some type of lymphoma. The mass was pushing against my lung and esophagus, and my trachea had been pushed to on the right side of my chest instead of in the center. I had extreme pains in my left shoulder. He thought it was possible ghe mass was pushing up against a nerve and causing that severe pain. I was sent for a procedure on with one day warning.

On December 17th, I was put under general anesthesia and a needle was used to puncture my trachea to collect samples from my left lung, bronchi, and the mass itself. No cancer cells were found but my doctors knew it was cancer. Being weighed so much, a pattern of weight loss became evident. My muscles became weak. I started to need a walker to get around.

Next, I saw a Toracic surgeon. He performed my second biopsy on January 9th with 2 days notice. This was a more complicated surgery as an incision was made at the base of my neck to give access to the top of my mass. Recovery for the surgery was longer. No cancer cells were found. My cancer was playing hide and seek with the doctors while I was losing more weight as the mas grew. My final biopsy was the most invasive.

I started Short Term Disability January 29th in preparation for this invasive surgery, a long with recovery and treatment projected to start immediately after results.

On January 31st, an incision was made on my side. The surgeon made his way under my chest, through two ribs, and to the mass to collect samples from its center. They were complications due to low oxygen levels. The mass was pressing into my left lung so much that it couldn't function properly. I had to be put on oxygen before I was allowed home, including the insulation of an oxygen concentrator in my home.

Preliminary testing showed Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I cried tears of joy knowing we could finally do something about it, we just needed the official report from Mayo Clinic.

At this point I was confined to my room on oxygen as the concentrator only gave me 50 ft of distance through my canulla tube. I had lost over 40lbs. I was taking 30mg of oxy every 4 hours on the dot because I was in so much pain. I was on so much prescription medication, had low oxygen, and was in so much pain and discomfort that I don't remember about two weeks of this period. It was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I called my mom telling her, "if this is what it's going to be like, I don't know if I can do this." She told me there's no going back now and that I am more than strong enough to get through this. I have so much love and support on my side, she was right.

While waiting on results from Mayo Clinic, I had a follow up with my pulmonologist who helped me with learning more about my oxygen. During this, my oncologist called with the final results - Hodgkin's Lymphoma stage two. He wanted me at the hospital that night or the next day to start treatment as soon as possible. I needed my mom there and was able to go in February 7th. I immediately received a procedure to have a PICC line placed in my right arm. My mom stayed with me much of that day. The next day was Saturday February 8th and I received my first chemo treatment with my sister by my side. Over the next 5 days, I received two blood transfusions, three iron transfusions, and underwent another surgery to implant my chemo port.

There were complications with the anesthesia due to my low oxygen levels so I was awake the entire time. The surgeon and his team worked as efficiently as they could on this 15 minute procedure, communicating to me what was happening and how long was left. After, I cried to my mom bat had to get it together for another round of vitals.

I left the hospital on February 13th. My sister picked me up and made sure I was home as comfortably as I could be. She spent the next weekend with me, too.

That first treatment was the hardest as I was dealing with excruciating pains I have never felt before, my period, and the inability to fully breathe on my own. I had no appetite and couldn't get much food or water down. I cried souch those first weeks. I still cry often.

As time progressed, more treatments came, and medications were figured out to take away some of the torture, things became for manageable - at least for the first 4 treatments. I had 8 treatments total, each two weeks apart. Two treatments made up a cycle and I had 4 cycles total. I changed my diet and it was helping.

But, treatment number 5 was brutal as I no longer had good days and bad days. They were all bad, but some were just worse. I wasn't getting out of bed till 11 because my body just couldn't. I was sleeping 9 to 11 hours each night and not feeling rested. I was receiving 2-3 IV fluid infusions with nausea meds between treatments which helped. This had continued through my 7th treatment.

I just received my final chemo treatment on May 22nd and rang the bell around 1:15pm. I'm about 3 weeks I should know if I need radiation. After that, I'll know when I can return to work.

I have been out of work for almost 5 months now, and will not return for likely another month. This has taken a massive financial toll on myself and my family. If it weren't for me living in my dad house, I would have been evicted. I couldn't afford rent on disability pay, I can barely afford groceries.

We are looking at several years until we can sort-of recover. Personally, I no longer have my savings to pull from. My credit is about maxed and my HSA is barely holding on.

My treatment just from January 1st till May 22 far has cost $333,217,620. Insurance has covered $312,085.66. that leaves $20,090.54 for me. I have already paid $8,878.21 of this leaving $16,144.47 for me to figure out and plead for assistance from health insurance.

I started my job October 4th of 2023. Before getting cancer, I was building up my savings, paying down student loans, had a paid off car (which was totalled in January in a not-at-fault accident), and was in a good place financially. Having cancer has ruined this. Cancer has taken such a toll financially, on top of the mental and physical tolls, on myself and my parents.

My chemo treatments are almost over. I'm two months from being in remission, if I do need radiation. One and a half months out of I don't.

We're running out of money to keep paying for it all. Insurance covers a lot, but not my car bill, groceries, living expenses, or vet bills andy short term disability covers just enough to scrape by excluding piling medical bills. I need help.

I could not be more grateful for the support and prayers I have received over the past six months. I ask for continued support in a slightly different way. For those of you who know me, it's hard for me to ask for help. I'm at a point when I don't know how to make it through this without it.

Every bit matters, even if it's sharing this on Facebook or with someone you know.

I will be forever grateful to you for following along on this journey and taking the time to read this.

Much love,

Tessa Brooks