Thackston was simply shy of 40 and general wholesome. CT scans confirmed indicators of irritation and medical doctors suspected colitis or a disease-causing irritation within the digestive tract. A household physician urged a colonoscopy simply to make sure, however scheduled appointments have been postponed thrice because of the pandemic.
Thackston lastly had a colonoscopy in early Could 2020.
“I keep in mind being wheeled into the room after which all the sudden I wakened and I heard my surgeon say the phrase ‘biopsy,’ after which somebody coated my ears and mentioned ‘she’s awake,’ so I knew proper then one thing was up,” Thackston informed Fox Information.
“As they’re wheeling me out, I hear a nurse say the phrase ‘tumor’ to [my husband] and I turned to [the nurse] and mentioned ‘So I’ve a tumor?’ and she or he mentioned ‘Sure.’ And I mentioned ‘So, I’ve most cancers?’ It was only a shock like I can’t even describe.”
Thackston is pictured final month after a haircut. She misplaced most of her hair over the summer season attributable to malnutrition, not chemotherapy, she mentioned.
(Picture courtesy of Lindy Thackston)
Thackston mentioned she has no household historical past of colorectal most cancers, no danger components and nothing odd got here again in genetic testing. It was round Mom’s Day in 2020 as Thackston anxiously awaited to listen to a prognosis and the stage of most cancers. Her son, Lachlan, was simply 4 on the time.
“Once you hear you will have most cancers, I feel it’s simply pure to surprise if you happen to’re going to die from it,” she mentioned, reflecting on her motherhood. “It was simply actually exhausting to take a look at him.”
Thackston and her household throughout a trip final February earlier than the prognosis, seen with husband, Christian Hogue and son Lachlan.
(Picture courtesy of Lindy Thackston)
A few week later, she was met with a stage 3 colorectal most cancers prognosis. Most cancers grew to become a “full-time job,” she mentioned, with day-long scans, bloodwork and telephone calls to pharmacies, nurses, medical doctors and insurance coverage.
Oncologists began Thackston on six weeks of chemotherapy capsules and radiation 5 occasions per week. After 15 days and nonetheless dealing with duties at FOX 59 Morning Information, Thackston left work at some point to endure a 24-day lengthy hospital keep, dropping her reminiscence for 3 weeks. She couldn’t recall her members of the family.
Thackston works as an early morning information anchor at Fox 59. Right here she’s pictured previous to her most cancers journey.
(Picture courtesy of Lindy Thackston)
She was out and in of the hospital all summer season with bowel blockages, dropping to about 95 kilos and dropping two-thirds of her hair. Thackston wanted to regain power and weight in preparation for the surgical removing of her tumor; she endured IV vitamin at dwelling for 18 hours every day. She underwent surgical procedure on August 24 to take away the tumor; about 8 inches of her colon and 41 lymph nodes. The most cancers was detected in a single lymph node, cascading to a so-called “clean-up chemo,” she defined.
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Thackston is pictured throughout a hospital keep. Regardless of her age, lack of danger components and no household historical past of colorectal most cancers, she battled a stage 3 prognosis.
Shortly after the tumor was eliminated, nevertheless, Thackston underwent surgical procedure once more attributable to an inside bleed, necessitating a catheter and IV bag hooked up to her chest port for 17 days.
The therapy plan concerned 12 rounds of IV chemotherapy, however after 10 rounds, worsening unwanted effects like extreme nausea, fatigue and gastrointestinal points and chilly sensitivity prompted the oncologist and affected person to comply with cease therapy. In mid-April, Thackston was capable of ring the bell on the oncology ward, celebrating the top of her most cancers battle.
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“It felt surreal to ring the bell as a result of it’s one thing I’ve visualized your entire time,” she mentioned. “I additionally felt loads of survivor’s guilt ringing it and everybody nonetheless sitting there. It’s exhausting with the buddies I’ve made in chemo understanding that they’re nonetheless there, and understanding lots of people are in chemo for all times. So I felt grateful ringing it and I additionally felt responsible ringing it.”
In keeping with Dr. Christopher Leagre, radiation oncologist at Ascension Hospital in Indianapolis, who oversaw Thackston’s therapy, the five-year survival price is about 70%, with most recurrences occurring inside 5 years.
He mentioned indicators and signs to look out for embody blood within the stool, but additionally a persistent change in bowel habits.
“It was actually wonderful how that lady has fought by way of all the points that got here alongside the way in which, and simply stored pushing ahead regardless of all of the challenges, the burden loss, how poorly she felt, she actually stored a tremendous and good perspective, stored pushing ahead,” Leagre mentioned of Thackston. “And he or she at all times had a very good humorousness.”
Now effectively on her path to restoration, Thackston is making ready to return to work later this month, gearing as much as host an hour on FOX 59’s early morning information present and likewise function an announcer for the Indy 500 for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
After a virtually month-long hospital keep in June, Thackston was welcomed dwelling to flowers and presents from colleagues at FOX 59 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and viewers.
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She’s present process acupuncture, lower meat and dairy from her weight loss program to maintain irritation low, and can also be doing remedy.
“This isn’t solely bodily horrible however a psychological problem you possibly can’t even put into phrases,” she mentioned.
Thackston now hosts a podcast, “Life with Lindy,” the place she fields questions on her most cancers journey and advocates her listeners to hunt medical consideration.
“Don’t be embarrassed by your signs,” she stresses. “Go get checked…In case your physician received’t get a colonoscopy for you, discover a physician who will.”
The medical group has fearful that delayed most cancers screenings amid the pandemic might lead to extra sufferers presenting with superior types of the illness sooner or later. Knowledge drawing on 2.7 million affected person information throughout 23 states indicated an 86-94% plummet in weekly preventative most cancers screenings carried out final spring in comparison with pre-pandemic figures, in accordance with an evaluation by EPIC Well being Analysis Community. By June, the variety of screenings for breast, colon and cervical most cancers improved however remained roughly one-third decrease in comparison with 2017-2019.
Thackston’s story comes as tips launched this week known as for People to start out getting screened for colon most cancers earlier — at age 45 as a substitute of ready till they’re 50. The U.S. Preventive Providers Activity Power mentioned it is time for the change as a result of colorectal most cancers more and more is showing in youthful adults.
Colorectal most cancers is among the nation’s main most cancers killers, claiming about 50,000 lives a 12 months. Total, instances and deaths have inched down lately, thanks partially to screening exams that may spot tumors early — and even forestall them by eradicating precancerous growths.
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The American Most cancers Society beforehand informed Fox Information that suppliers should not solely deal with the backlog of missed screenings but additionally prioritize sufferers vying for appointments, akin to these at greater danger for illness who want immediate or extra frequent screenings.
“I’ll admit I used to be irritated,” Thackston mentioned, reflecting again on her postponed appointments. “I do keep in mind the workplace lastly known as me to schedule the appointment and I informed them ‘I’ve most cancers,’ and the receptionist apologized over and over.”
“They do not know how lengthy I’ve had [cancer], however I’m grateful I bought the colonoscopy once I did, who is aware of once I would’ve been in stage 4 as a result of it had already unfold to lymph nodes.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
Kayla Rivas is a Well being reporter and joined Fox Information in April 2020.
