JawaPos.com – Instead of crying like other colleagues in the same boat, Intan K, 27, felt relieved when she was diagnosed with lymphoma, also known as lymph node cancer, 10 years ago. Previously, he had to go through a relatively long process because he was initially diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) due to problems in his neck. He also had to undergo TB treatment for eight months.
During treatment, it was clear the problem was not resolved. Intan actually found fluid in her lungs, got tired easily and was unable to carry out her usual activities. At that time he was still in the 3rd year of high school in Pekanbaru, when he was supposed to focus on national exams. Intan was even treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) for 10 days and put on a ventilator. He was in a coma.
Because he never recovered, he was then flown to Jakarta for a thorough examination and only then did he find out that he had stage four lymph node cancer. At that time the cancer cells were no longer in one organ, but had spread to various parts of the body such as the lungs, spleen and liver.
“When I was told about cancer, thank God. It was like a mystery was solved. If you already know the problem, just look for a solution and carry out the solution. It’s incredibly tired with all the effects,” said Intan.
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Intan then underwent treatment as she should, such as chemotherapy and radiation. He only broke down in tears when he discovered that his hair was slowly falling out even though he had to take a photo for his high school yearbook. He also felt insecure about his appearance.
In total, he received 16 rounds of chemotherapy and more than 20 rounds of radiation therapy. His high school years were over and he had successfully secured his status as a Communication Science student at FISIP, University of Indonesia.
Feeling that her condition was fine and had been declared safe from cancer, Intan decided to run away from treatment. As a result, three years after the diagnosis, lymphoma returned, this time in the spinal cord, causing him to be temporarily paralyzed.
At that time, Intan had difficulty walking and had to take time off from college. He also underwent spinal surgery to avoid total paralysis. For this woman who loves dancing, being paralyzed is a nightmare.
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It took him about two months to stand up. The process at that time was like a baby learning to walk, starting from lifting the head, tilting the body to the right and left, then sitting. He still remembers being able to see his feet but not being able to feel them.
Intan fought again against lymphoma and in 2019 she was declared in remission by doctors. “In 2018 I took part in a 10 km marathon, in 2019 I was declared in remission. This year in December I have been in remission for five years,” he said.
Lymphoma and TB
Talking about lymphoma and TB, an internal medicine expert in the Medical Oncology Hematology Division, Internal Medicine Department, RSUPN Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Dr Dr Andhika Rahman, SpPD-KHOM said there were similar symptoms, one of which was sweating at night. Another symptom that is similar between the two is the appearance of lumps in areas of the body where there are lymph nodes, such as in the neck.
2023-09-16 15:05:00
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