Hodgkins Lymphoma Grad- Emily
“I want to experience more. I have always lived my life safe. I want to relax and take things as they come instead of being uptight. I am only going to be young once and I want to experience everything I can before it is too late.”
Name: Emily Bushman
Age at Diagnosis: 21 years old
Type/Stage of Cancer: Stage 2 Unfavorable Rest Hodgkins Lymphoma
What were the primary symptoms you experienced prior to diagnosis?
I developed a rash that covered my body, eventually diagnosed as Sweets Syndrome. It caused body aches and a high fever. I also had a lump in my neck.
What symptom(s) lead you to go to the doctor?
The rash and lump brought me to multiple doctors. They were originally worried that it was Meningitis. When my fever spiked, I was instructed to go to the hospital. There they conducted a CT scan that changed my life.
What treatments have you endured (i.e. surgery, chemo, radiation, etc)?
I have had biopsies of the lump in my neck and of my bone marrow, surgery for a kidney stone caused by chemo and I have had 8 cycles of chemotherapy. I do not need radiation.
How did you respond when you heard the words “You have cancer”?
Originally, the internal medicine doctor made it sound like it would be a piece of cake. He told us I would most likely need a quick shot of radiation and that I would be done. It wasn’t until I had my first oncologist appointment that I really realized what was about to happen. It sounds cliché but my future went rushing through my head. There was nothing I could do, I was scared.
What has been your hardest moment(s) since your diagnosis? How have you moved forward through them?There are many hardships that come along with cancer. One of the big things for me is having to watch my family struggle through this with me. I am lucky enough to have an amazing support system, but it is hard for me to see them go through this. Another tough moment during this time was having to stay home from my last year of college. I will never get back my first semester as a senior, but I made the most of it. I got through the semester taking online classes and will be back at school for my last semester. Taking it one step at a time and not dwelling on what you can’t change is how I got through these last couple of months.
What has been your biggest accomplishment since your diagnosis?
My biggest accomplishment has been starting my blog. It is called I Got The Cancer. I wanted to provide information and real experience to those young adults that are going through the same thing. When I was diagnosed, my mom searched high and low for any information she could find on what I was about to go through. She had trouble finding information specific to my age and diagnosis. Since I started my blog, I noticed that some young adults don’t have anyone they feel comfortable talking to about their diagnosis. They need someone that understands what they are going through. I want to be the person who can guide them and listen to them.
What do you believe are the unmet needs of young adult patients within the cancer community?
First, there are not many charities that support young adults 19-30. For women, it is especially hard when they have to pay outrageous amounts for egg retrieval. Insurance has not yet been forced to cover this procedure or medication. I also do not think there are enough communities for young adults to ask questions and be open about what they are going through.
What advice would you give to someone who is newly diagnosed? What advice would you tell them to ignore? What advice would you give to the caregivers?
For a young adult that is newly diagnosed, I would say to take this one step at a time. It seems stupid but it works. Focus on the day at hand and not what is going to happen in the future. I wouldn’t say to ignore advice because everyone is different. For me, I ignored advice to research my cancer and to find out every little detail of what was going to happen. Like I said, I dealt with things as they came. Caregivers need to be mentally prepared. I see my parents and sister struggle because they want to take the pain and discomfort away, but they can’t. The best thing for them to do is to comfort the patient. Just sitting with them while they are in pain will make them feel a little less alone.
How did your family and friends respond?
My family and friends have been involved with raising money to fight childhood cancer for as long as I can remember. They are a strong group of people and they are very supportive. I know they have their hardships with this diagnosis, just as I do. They put on a strong front for me, but I know they are in emotionally draining pain. I can’t imagine what it is like to see someone you love go through this and not be able to do much to stop it.
When you feel overwhelmed or anxious, what do you do for relief?
In the beginning of my journey, I had a few anxiety outbursts. I was shaky, my heart rate increased by a lot and I didn’t want my mom to leave my side. When this happened I would take deep breaths and remind myself that I am fine, that there is nothing I can do and that I need to take it one step at a time.
Describe a situation where you “got back up”:
On September 24th I had my last chemo treatment. While I was receiving treatment, my doctor came in to tell me that I was going to need 2 more cycles (4 treatments) and radiation. We decided to get a second opinion. The second opinion was that I did not need those extra treatments or radiation and that I was done. I rang the bell and completed my journey, or so I thought. I went to visit college to celebrate and while I was there my dad called with some bad news. The decision about the 2 cycles was brought to a board of doctors and they decided it would be better to be on the safe side and complete the 2 more cycles. I had to leave school and come home because they scheduled treatment for the next day. I was disappointed and torn down. It was awful thinking I was done and then having to go back for another 2 months. But, I did it and now I am one treatment away from officially being done!
What did you know about the type of cancer that you were diagnosed with prior to your diagnosis?
I did not know anything about Hodgkins.
What do you now want people to be aware of?
Everything. Every young adult has the right to decide whether they want to know everything or nothing. The information is all in my blog.
Have you experienced any shifts in your outlook on life due to your diagnosis? If so, what are they?
Yes, I want to experience more. I have always lived my life safe. I want to relax and take things as they come instead of being uptight. I am only going to be young once and I want to experience everything I can before it is too late.
Have you created any meaning out of this experience?
It has made me a stronger person and it has made my relationships stronger as well.
How did/do you find joy during this experience?
I found joy in my family and friends. Spending time with them will always make me feel better. I also got a puppy to keep me company!
What has your cancer experience taught you?
I have learned everything there is to know about cancer and the treatment. But, I have also learned who my true friends are. It is amazing to see the amount of people who love and care for you.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I want to be known as someone that was able to help others going through the same experience as me.
If you could write anything you wanted on a billboard in NYC’s Times Square that would reach millions of cancer patients, what would it read?
Don’t let cancer control you, you are not a cancer victim. Cancer is your victim. Take back your life!
Check Out Emily Online!
Instagram
Facebook
Blog
Fundraiser
(“The fundraiser I have linked is helping the fight against childhood cancer. Four Diamonds has helped my family during our hard time, and I would love to give back! My sister is on the leadership team for a Mini-THON at her high school and she is raising money to support this foundation. Please consider donating, anything can make a difference.” )