Janae’s Story (Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Uterine Cancer)

This is my story. When I was twenty-years-old, I was in a car accident and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. At the time, one of the staff members took an x-ray of my chest. There was really no reason for her to do so, because I had no pain there from the accident. I was glad she did. She found a football-sized mass in my chest, which three days later, was found to be Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

I did all the not-so-fun cancer treatments. I lost my hair, gave up most of the things I was doing, and got sick. Despite the hard times, I did what I had to do and conquered the beast.

As the years went by, I got on with my life. I did some things just for me. I got married and adopted two wonderful kids and began raising them. Cancer was behind me.

Twenty three years after that day of diagnosis, my life changed. Although this was not what I first wanted to do, my husband and I decided to separate. I was now faced with the challenge of being a single mother and felt pretty prepared to do so. Well, just two months after the separation, I was diagnosed with another type of cancer. This was not what I was planning on doing as a single mother, and many times I asked, why me? But you know, it’s exactly as it is supposed to be. I have to fight this cancer, and it hasn’t been easy for me or my kids, but do you know what, we are doing it. Thanks to my extended family too, for stepping right up to help where they were needed. We are going to win this fight.

Janae
Utah
Submitted 09/14/2016

The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.

This story is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.