Bryana Tanner: An Unexpected Journey

Diagnosed with lymphoma at 23 years of age, Bryana shares her experiences that led her to conclude it is important to “make each day a beautiful day to be alive.” 

In September of 2022, when I was 23 years old, I started experiencing difficulty breathing and was feeling under the weather. It got bad enough that I went to the emergency room. I had recently been on a bachelorette trip to Vegas, so I assumed I had caught something that caused my flu-like symptoms. Sure enough, I was diagnosed with acute pneumonia. Little did I know, that was not the only diagnosis coming my way.

I was experiencing night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, and after a CT –scan, doctors found a 5 cm mass pushing on my bronchial tubes. I underwent a biopsy on a lymph node in my neck, as well as my bone marrow, a few days later. Getting the biopsies done was an uncomfortable, but painless process. Two days later the results came back, and I was diagnosed with anaplastic large T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ALCL). My cancer was ALK positive, leaving me with a cancer subtype that accounts for less than 2% of all lymphoma diagnoses.

A PET scan I had immediately after my diagnosis showed a second 4 cm mass in my pelvic region, as well as countless cancerous lymph nodes throughout my neck, chest, and stomach. I was stage 4 and needed to begin treatment immediately.

I began chemotherapy just two days after my diagnosis. Just one day after my first round of chemo, my breathing was starting to improve, and I was able to be taken off oxygen soon after. I couldn’t walk to the bathroom without losing my breath when I was admitted to the hospital. Now, I was able to do it with minimal struggle. I had to endure seven rounds of R-CHOP chemo every three weeks. I also received white blood cell boosters with my treatments, as doctors hoped to protect my immune system to give me a chance to fight the pneumonia. These left me feeling as if I were getting kicked in my lower back. It was very scary to be so sick and to not have an immune system strong enough to respond.

After my second treatment I began to lose my hair, and I was bald by the time I reached the third treatment. This was especially difficult for me because I was a bridesmaid in my best friend’s wedding and I would be the only one with a bald head after we had spent months discussing how we would wear our hair for the wedding. During this period my town was also hit by hurricane Ian, a category 5 hurricane. I was left with no electricity for two weeks but was thankfully safe from the storm after receiving a nearly direct hit. I cried a lot of tears, had a lot of bedridden days, and even was hospitalized twice for pulmonary embolisms caused by my chemo.

After my fourth chemo treatment I had a clear PET scan, which was the best news to receive around the holidays, although I still had three more treatments to endure. My chemo left me with very little energy, but I kept reminding myself how hard my body was working every second to fight these cancer cells. Throughout my cancer journey I tried my hardest to keep my spirits high and feel confident that this cancer will never define me, no matter how difficult this journey may be. I have made it a priority of mine to share the symptoms and warning signs of blood cancer as well as offer support for anyone also going through this battle.

Before my diagnosis, cancer never even crossed my mind. After all, I was a seemingly healthy woman in my 20s. Looking back, I see some red flags about my health—frequent colds and ear infections, itchy skin, IBS, and extreme fatigue. I’m not talking about fatigue from a long day, I mean I could barely stay awake for more than two hours a day. My body was giving me all these signs that something was off, something I should’ve paid closer attention to. I am thankful that I went on that trip to Vegas, as it spurred me to go to the emergency room when I did.

The most important advice I was ever given about my cancer journey is to take it one day at a time. You are going to have bad days while going through such an intense treatment, and it is important to find the light at the end of the tunnel each and every day. Since my diagnosis, I have adopted a healthier lifestyle, eating mostly plant-based proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables as well as taking daily essential vitamins and supplements to make sure my body is getting all the nutrients it needs to thrive. I finished my seventh round of chemo three months ago and am back in the gym, closer with my friends and family, and the healthiest I have ever felt.

I also have been sharing my cancer story, diagnoses, symptoms, as well as my experience with chemotherapy on TikTok (@bryanasjourney). Cancer has taught me that life is short, so you may as well do what makes you happy and make each day a beautiful day to be alive. Your body is an amazing vessel that gives you signs and symptoms when something is wrong, and it’s up to you to listen to your body and take action.

Whether you are a patient, survivor, caregiver or a loved one touched by cancer, your story can have an enormous impact. You can provide hope and inspiration to someone recently diagnosed with cancer or a patient undergoing therapy.

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