Texas Girl, 17, Thought She Had a Swollen Lymph Node from a Cold. It Turned Out to Be Cancer
Texas teen Makaila Chenier has shared how what she thought was a swollen lymph node from a lingering cold turned out to be cancer
The 17-year-old was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma earlier this year
'It was just a little lump ... It was very hard because it was like everything changed literally overnight," Mikaila told the outletA teen from Texas is opening up about the moment she found out what she thought was a lump from a lingering cold was actually cancer.
Makaila Chenier, 17, found a 'little lump' in her neck in January and thought it was a swollen lymph node, but after it 'got progressively bigger' and she had 'trouble breathing' when she was lying down, she ended visiting her doctor, according to Today.com.
She was referred to an ear, nose and throat doctor who told her to go to the emergency room, where she underwent a series of tests, including an ultrasound, X-ray and CT scan.
'There was definitely a sense of urgency that we picked up on very quickly in the appointments,' Mikaila's mom, Christina Chenier, told Today.com. 'We knew something wasn't quite right.'
It was there that doctors told Makaila they suspected she had lymphoma. 'Doctor said, 'It looks like it might be some sort of lymphoma,' ' Christina told the outlet. 'Hearing your kid may have cancer … it was a gut punch … All of a sudden we were playing a completely different game and everything was completely upside down.'
From the ER, Makaila was transferred to Texas Children's Hospital in downtown Houston where she was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma the very next day, beginning her first round of chemotherapy just over a week after visiting the ER.
'It was very hard because it was like everything changed literally overnight,' Mikaila, who undergoes chemotherapy every two weeks, told the outlet. 'It was just a little lump.'
According to the Mayo Clinic, Lymphoma is 'a cancer of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the body's germ-fighting and disease-fighting immune system. Lymphoma begins when healthy cells in the lymphatic system change and grow out of control.'
There are two types of lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma (formerly called Hodgkin disease) and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and symptoms include a fever, night sweats and 'painless swelling of lymph nodes in the belly, neck, armpits or groin.'
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Mikaila is now homeschooled and has had to miss special occasions like prom. However, there was one milestone the teen didn't want to miss out on. 'They let me do graduation because that's once in a lifetime,' she told the outlet.
She is expected to complete her treatment in August and plans to take a gap year before going to college.
'I've been staying really positive through it all and I've learned that really helps get through it because they say time flies when you're having fun,' Makaila said. 'I try to have as much fun as I can and make the best out of it, which has really helped.'
Read the original article on People
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Botulism cases linked to Botox injections under investigation in Massachusetts
Massachusetts health officials are investigating four recent cases of suspected botulism connected to cosmetic injections of Botox. The outbreak on the South Shore prompted the Department of Public Health to warn health care providers to be alert about symptoms. consistent with botulism occurring after botulinum toxin injections. Botox is widely used for cosmetic purposes to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. 'While generally safe when administered by trained professionals, improper dosing, administration technique, or use of non-FDA-approved products may increase the risk of systemic botulism symptoms,' the DPH advisory said. Botulism, though rare, can be fatal. It occurs when botulinum toxin enters the bloodstream and can produce effects far from the injection site, according to the advisory. Initial botulism symptoms include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems, according to state health officials. These symptoms may progress to muscle weakness that worsens over hours to days. Anybody who is experiencing any symptoms should go to an emergency room. 'This is very rare,' South Shore Hospital infectious disease specialist Dr. Todd Ellerin told WCVB. 'We call it iatrogenic botulism, which means you get it as a complication of an injection. It is very rare.' The DPH has not released details about the condition of the four individuals involved in the South Shore cases or information about the provider or facility where they received their injections. How pink heart shaped fentanyl led to Mass. father's 18-year prison sentence ICE deportation blocked by Boston judge: Migrants now in shipping container in Djibouti Mass. State Lottery winner: Father will take children to Disney with $100K prize Former police deputy chief, school resource officer convicted of child rape Mass. casino winner: $2.50 bet won gambler jackpot prize ``` Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
B.C. mom picks up her son's ADHD medication, is given an opioid instead
A mother on Vancouver Island is warning people to double check their prescriptions after she was accidentally dispensed the powerful opioid hydromorphone instead of her son's regular ADHD medication. Comox, B.C., resident Sarah Paquin, 31, says she still shudders to think about what could have happened to her nine-year-old son had her husband not noticed the medication looked different before he gave it to him. "It was terrifying," Paquin said, standing in her front yard and playing with one of her three boys. "One simple little mistake like that could have ended horribly." WATCH | 9-year-old dispensed opioid in pharmacy mix-up: Paquin says she didn't think too much of it when she went to pick up her son Declan's medication last week and the staff member at her local Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy didn't check her ID or take out the prescription from the bag. The next day, her husband was about to give Declan his medication when he saw the pills were a different colour and shape than normal. Her husband looked at the bottle and noticed the prescription was for someone else, and that it was for hydromorphone. Right away he returned the pills to the pharmacy. "Immediately your mind goes to the worst case scenario," Paquin said. "The results could have been catastrophic and it just makes my heart sink to think about what could have happened." Hydromorphone is a powerful opioid that is two to eight times stronger than morphine and is often used to treat acute pain or chronic cancer pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can cause serious unwanted effects or fatal overdose in children. Human error CBC News reached out to Loblaws, the company that owns Shoppers Drug Mart. In a written statement, the company said the incident was a case of "human error" that never should have happened. "We have controls in place to minimize risks like this — where the patient was handed the wrong prescription bag — and the associate will review these with employees to avoid a similar situation in the future," the company said. Paquin says she has since heard from the pharmacist, who was very apologetic. She says he acknowledged that steps were missed and standards were dropped, and told her the employee who dispensed the medication has been suspended pending an internal investigation. Asking for accountability Despite his reassurances, Paquin has filed a complaint with the College of Pharmacists of B.C. "The pharmacy needs to take responsibility, be held accountable for what happened," she said. In an email, the college told CBC News it takes these types of errors very seriously. "We have legal requirements in the Health Professions Act bylaws in place to prevent these occurrences, including mandatory standards for prescription preparation to ensure accuracy of the prescription product and consultations for all prescriptions, to make sure clients understand their medication, how to take it properly, and address any questions," the college said. As part of pharmacists' consultation with clients, they are required to confirm the person's identity, name and the strength and purpose of the drug, it added. In 2023-24, the college says it received a total of 990 concerns through its intake process. Of those, 54 became formal complaints and investigations, 16 of which were medication related. Paquin decided to share her ordeal on social media, to warn others to check their prescription before taking it. "It's scary that it happened to us, but I'm also in a way kind of thankful that it happened to us and we caught it because it could have been given to somebody who didn't notice and got hurt," she said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Texas Hospital Discharged Woman with Untreated Ectopic Pregnancy. Then She Started Bleeding Out: ‘Oh My God, I'm Dying'
Kyleigh Thurman filed a complaint against Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital after suffering an ectopic pregnancy. The medical emergency led to a ruptured fallopian tube that caused heavy bleeding A federal investigation has now found that the hospital broke the law by failing to give Thurman proper medical careA federal investigation has found that a Texas hospital broke the law by failing to give a woman proper medical attention following an emergency pregnancy complication. In August 2024, Kyleigh Thurman filed a complaint against Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital over a February 2023 visit when she suffered an ectopic pregnancy. According to the Mayo Clinic, ectopic pregnancy "occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the main cavity of the uterus." This type of pregnancy cannot proceed normally because "the fertilized egg can't survive,' and it can lead to 'life-threatening bleeding, if left untreated." Court documents claim the hospital discharged Thurman, 36, without treatment, after allegedly giving her a pamphlet about miscarriage. She later returned due to continuous vaginal bleeding, but was 'denied care' again. 'It was not until her OB/GYN pleaded to hospital staff that she be given care that the hospital provided the necessary care,' the filing states. 'This care was too late, and Ms. Thurman's ectopic pregnancy ruptured due to the hospital's delay in treating her.' It was during this third visit to Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital that Thurman was reportedly told her case was now severe and her life was at risk due to the heavy bleeding. The untreated ectopic pregnancy resulted in one of her fallopian tubes rupturing. '[My OB/GYN] came in and she's like, you're either going to have to have a blood transfusion, or you're going to have to have surgery or you're going to bleed out,' Thurman told the Associated Press, through tears. 'That's when I just kind of was like, 'Oh my God, I'm, I'm dying.'' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Thurman underwent emergency surgery to remove one of her fallopian tubes, ultimately jeopardizing her fertility moving forward. A spokesperson for Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital tells PEOPLE that they cannot comment on Thurman's case, but noted that it 'is committed to providing high-quality care to all who seek our services.' Shortly after Thurman's complaint was filed, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a federal investigation into her case. According to AP, investigators concluded in a report last month that Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital failed to give her a proper medical screening exam, including an evaluation with an OB-GYN. The hospital also reportedly violated the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires emergency rooms to provide stabilizing treatment to all patients in medical emergencies. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! The report stated, per the outlet, that Thurman was 'at risk for deterioration of her health and wellbeing as a result of an untreated medical condition.' 'We see patients with miscarriages being denied care, bleeding out in parking lots. We see patients with nonviable pregnancies being told to continue those to term,' Molly Duane, an attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights that represented Thurman, told the outlet. 'This is not, maybe, what some people thought abortion bans would look like, but this is the reality.' Abortion is currently banned in Texas after six weeks, which is before most people know they're pregnant. The law does not allow exceptions for women who were impregnated as a result of rape or incest. Under the legislation, private citizens can also sue doctors or abortion clinic workers who perform or help to set up the procedure. The near-total ban has led to numerous claims of delayed pregnancy-related care — even for care that is legal under state law — due to fear of the extreme penalties for physicians who violate the abortion ban. In 2022, the Biden administration released guidance specifying that hospitals must provide an abortion if needed to treat a patient with an emergency condition. States including Texas challenged that guidance, saying it equated an abortion mandate. On June 3, the CMS announced that it would revoke the Biden-era guidance, explaining in a statement that it would 'work to rectify any perceived legal confusion and instability caused by the former administration's actions.' 'CMS will continue to enforce EMTALA, which protects all individuals who present to a hospital emergency department seeking examination or treatment, including for identified emergency medical conditions that place the health of a pregnant woman or her unborn child in serious jeopardy,' the agency said. However, Thurman told AP that she had hoped the investigation would lead to a more clear message that ectopic pregnancies must be treated by hospitals despite state abortion bans. 'I didn't want anyone else to have to go through this,' Thurman said. 'I put a lot of the responsibility on the state of Texas and policy makers and the legislators that set this chain of events off.' Read the original article on People
