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In year three of her breast cancer
battle, Tina Hodges is thankful for every day
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[October 10, 2024]
Tina Hodges of Lincoln feels ‘truly blessed for
her family and grateful for every day.” On July 29, 2021, Tina went
in for her first mammogram, a routine check up her Dr. suggested
because of her age.
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 Upon suspicious findings, a diagnostic mammogram
with ultrasound and then an ultrasound guided biopsy was scheduled
quickly. The results indicated that Tina had Invasive Ductal
Carcinoma of the right breast. The oncologist and surgeon recommend
partial mastectomy of the right breast, chemotherapy, and radiation
therapy. A date for the surgery was set, but unfortunately had to be
postponed because Tina was diagnosed with Covid-19.
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After Tina recovered a second surgery date was set,
but Tina’s immune system was compromised, and she was diagnosed with
strep throat. After two rounds of antibiotics with little
improvement, Tina saw an infectious disease specialist that
diagnosed long haul Covid along with Mononucleosis and strep throat.
It was February of 2022 before Tina was healthy enough to undergo
surgery. A follow up mammogram was scheduled to check for growth.
Praise God only a little bit of growth was detected.
Tina continued to have a rocky health journey and developed cardiac
issues as well as uterine fibroids. While in the emergency room in
July of 2022 Tina received a blood transfusion because of excessive
bleeding of the fibroids. It was also found that she had bilateral
pulmonary embolisms and was admitted to the hospital for 8 days.
During that hospital stay another mammogram was done and in just 6
short months the cancer in her right breast had grown and there were
suspicious findings in the left breast.
Her surgeon explained that while the cells in the left breast were
not cancer at this time, abnormal cells can turn into cancer at any
time. The decision was made to have a double mastectomy along with
chemotherapy.
Surgery was set for September 8, 2022, but the
road to that surgery date was paved with more illness and
neurological issues. After another trip to the hospital with an EKG,
CTA, MRI, and lab work, a stroke was ruled out, so surgery was able
to take place as expected.
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The surgery took 12 hours to complete. Tina developed an infection
on the right side and was put on a course of antibiotics. Infection
then set in on the left side and Tina was admitted to the hospital
for IV infusions to treat the infection. Chemotherapy was postponed
until the infection was clear.
Tina also had surgery to have her fibroids and uterus removed. In
January of 2023 chemotherapy treatment began, but Covid struck again
in February of 2023. After trying chemotherapy for a year, covid
struck again in January of 2024 and the Oncologist decided that
Tina’s health was failing so chemotherapy was discontinued.
She had received enough treatments to give her a 10 percent chance
of the cancer recurring, much the same chance given to other women
with the same cancer and treatment plan. Tina will be on the
chemotherapy pill for the next 5-7 years to try to keep the cancer
from returning. She follows up with the oncologist every three
months and sees the surgeon every six months.
Tina says her “faith in God keeps her hopeful that the cancer will
not return.”
She takes it one day at a time and is grateful for every second she
has.
[Lesleigh Bennett] |
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