In March of 2013, Tlnaka had a seizure at her desk at work. She was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. After trying a variety of conventional treatments, Tlnaka decided it wasn’t for her, and her oncologist helped her find an alternative way of healing. She has been cancer-free since 2016.
Here is her story in her own words:
I had a seizure at work at my desk on March 27, so I was taken by ambulance to the downtown hospital. I totally do not remember, I started chemo immediately, and one drug, and then another, and then that wasn’t working. We did numerous cocktails until we finally got to Taxotere- I completed two lines of treatment with this and it practically killed me. I was sick, sick, sick. I decided if I was going to have to go through it again I was going to choose not to, however at that time immunotherapy was just becoming popular, and the FDA approved Opdivo, which was my miracle drug.
I had started attending college to get my bachelor’s through online school in January 2013. After I had the seizure in March, I continued with school. I really believe that that helped my brain recover from gamma knife surgery in April 2013. As of today, I continue to have MRIs every four months, and they continue to show zero tumors and only one area with scar tissue (CT of my lungs continue to show scar tissue).
My daughter had her second baby in July 2013 and she also went back to school to get a nursing degree, so I watched her two children, my grandchildren, ages two and newborn. Being needed and loved and also exerting my brain helped me in my opinion.”
Tlnaka attributes her lung cancer to her smoking habits. She says “I was a big smoker, so not a big surprise."
EDITOR’S NOTE: As of May 2022, Tlnaka remains healthy and thriving post-diagnosis.
Her update:
I continue to receive Opdivo every 4 weeks. Every once in a while all of my joints just scream out in pain, so then I go on a very low dose of prednisone (2.5 mg, every other day) for a couple of months and then go off.
I was gaining weight like crazy so I started Noom and have been eating more greens and veggies – I’ve been trying to stay active.
I have neuropathy and walk with a cane due to all the chemo I received, so my most favorite thing is getting in my pool where I can lift my legs up and spin around like a ballerina and really enjoy myself. I don’t walk with a cane in the house because I’m confident about the placement of furniture, floor slopes, etc. I’m starting to try and walk sometimes without my cane at various stores.
It’s 7 years now and I feel great! I love life and I love being alive
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