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Krystil |
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Name: Krystil
Age: 19
Diagnosis: Nodular Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Short Biography: Ever since she was young, Krystil was an enthusiastic softball player. And she was good, even fulfilling her dream of playing collegiate softball when she received a scholarship to Steven F. Austin. It was there that her dream turned into a nightmare.
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Krystil returned from orientation with what seemed to be bronchitis. Even the doctors believed it was bronchitis and treated her for such. She didn’t get better, and scheduled another visit. After an x-ray, they began treating her for pneumonia, but asked to see her back at the end of the week to make sure she had improved. Showing no improvement, Krystil was sent to see a lung specialist that same afternoon.
The lung specialist looked at her x-ray and immediately ordered a CT scan on Krystil. He wanted a return visit with the scans the same afternoon. This was extremely unusual so the family convened at the office where they were given the shocking news.
Krystil’s preliminary diagnosis was that she might have Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkins Lymphoma, but the only definite way to tell was to biopsy. The results of that same day biopsy at a non-TCH facility were inconclusive. A second biopsy, performed by a radiologist at the same hospital, proved inconclusive too.
Krystil pleaded to get seen by an oncologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. There, Krystil’s diagnosis was confirmed. She was a Stage 2B. After four 21-day cycles of chemotherapy, followed by three weeks of radiation, Krystil was in remission, cancer free and headed back to college.
In February, Krystil noticed shortness of breath, feeling tired, and sinus/respiratory infection like symptoms. She saw a doctor but everything seemed to be routine.
In March, during her three-month check-up, she was told she had relapsed with about “sevenish” tumors in her lungs. During surgery, doctors did several biopsies of tissue and placed a central line in her chest. However, pathology reports showed no signs of cancer. Thinking she might have an infection, they treated her for such.
However, the problems worsened over the next few weeks until the mass in her right lung had collapsed about two-thirds of that lung. In May, Krystil underwent a biopsy and this time doctors found that the cancer was back. After a left lung biopsy, bone marrow aspirations on each side of the pelvic, and a part of her left ovary removed to freeze, which may increase her chances of having children one day, and further testing, doctors also found a mass behind one of her kidneys. Because Krystil was only in remission for three months, the treatment had to be much more aggressive and requires a bone marrow transplant.
While the family and Krystil are disappointed that she has relapsed and must face this cancer more aggressively, they know they have a lot of support from family and friends as well as a faith in God to help them through this battle.
Thanks to Krystil and her mother, Edith, for providing this information to Snowdrop Foundation.
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