Kenzie forced her way to get a CT scan, which then revealed a tumour in her chest (Pic: kenzdryd/Instagram)
A 20-year-old young woman from Iowa in the United States recently sounded the alarm on social media after doctors brushed off her “crazy random cancer symptoms,” which nearly led to her death. “If you guys have ever had anything like this, please run to the ER and advocate for yourself because I would have died if I didn’t, like, push these doctors to check me out,” Kenzie Dryden said in a recent outburst on TikTok.
For Kenzie, ultimately diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma when she was just 18, it was a rough and painful journey. Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a network of tissues and organs that play a crucial role in the immune system.
What were the first cancer signs for Kenzie?
According to Kenzie, the first sign of something wrong for her came when she noticed her right eye would not open properly. “My right eye looked like I was like a broken doll,” she said. Kenzie, a University of Miami student, rushed to emergency care at the hospital, where her right pupil ballooned in size; however, all her concerns were dismissed by the doctors.
Kenzie said she was told all of her symptoms were signs of stress—due to studies. However, she also had other symptoms like weight loss in her face and constant exhaustion.
Finally, Kenzie forced her way to get a CT scan, which then revealed a tumour in her chest. “Doctors were like, ‘We don’t know how you’re alive; we don’t know how you didn’t feel this,'” she said. “I just started chemo right away, and they said if I didn’t start, I would have died within a couple of months,” she said.
What is Hodgkin lymphoma?
Hodgkin lymphoma—also known as Hodgkin disease—is a group of blood cancers that develop in your lymphatic system. It is one of two main types of lymphoma—the other type being non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Doctors say these cancers affect important white blood cells in your immune system known as lymphocytes.
Hodgkin lymphomas form when genes inside B lymphocytes mutate, or begin to change at some point in your life. Hodgkin lymphomas typically start in the lymph nodes in your neck.
Signs and symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma
The most common first sign of Hodgkin lymphoma is painless swollen lymph nodes in your neck, underarms, or groin. A few other symptoms include:
Persistent tiredness
The feeling of always being tired more than usual for at least several days.
Unexplained fever
Doctors say a high fever that remains for two or more hours after home treatment or lasts longer than two days may be a sign of cancer.
Night sweats
Take serious note when the sweating is so intense that it drenches your sheets and clothes.
Weight loss
If you are losing body weight without even trying—more than 10 per cent over six months.
Itchy skin
Some people with Hodgkin lymphoma have very itchy skin after drinking alcohol or taking a bath.
Abdominal swelling
Not all belly pain is a sign of serious illness, but if it does not go away and becomes chronic, contact your doctor.
Chest pain and breathlessness
It may be a symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma in your lung tissues or lymph nodes inside of your chest.
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