In year three of her breast cancer battle, Tina Hodges is thankful for every day

[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.

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.

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.

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]