“It didn’t register to me what she was saying,” Bailey said. “She assured me that more tests would be needed to confirm a diagnosis and to not worry or stress until the tests could show what was going on.”
After sharing the news with her parents, Bailey came to Tanner Cancer Care in Carrollton, meeting with medical oncologist Brad Larson, MD, with Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers. He confirmed that he believed she had a type of lymphoma called Hodgkin’s disease, but that a biopsy would be needed to confirm the diagnosis.
He showed her the CT scan showing a 6-milimeter mass pushing on her left lung, causing her breathing issues.
Part of the mass was removed in the biopsy, but with part of the mass still residing inside, it was decided that Bailey would undergo several cycles of chemotherapy.
After four cycles, a PET scan would be performed to see how she was responding and whether radiation would be needed. Radiation was not an ideal option as the side effects on someone her age could be devastating.
“With all of this information being thrown at me, I didn’t really know how to respond,” Bailey said. “Both of my parents were crying, and it wasn’t until that moment that I really began to process what was happening to me and accept it. I was devastated that I would not be able to complete my degree in December 2022. I had worked so hard, and I had this plan laid out for my life and it was suddenly interrupted with all these things completely out of my control.”
While Bailey was assured that the disease was caught early and her prognosis for recovery was good, it was hard for her to accept deviating from her plan to graduate even though Dr. Larson recommended she delay her last semester.
Love, faith and resilience
With her daughter Anastasia, who was only a year old at the time, Bailey was also worried about the toll this would take on her. Thankfully, Bailey had a superstar of a fiancé who was with her every step of the way.
“He is such a strong man and was with me all of the time,” Bailey said. “I was still dealing with postpartum depression at the time of my diagnosis which just seemed overwhelming. The way he took care of me and our daughter was heroic.
“We had savings and he quit his job for a while to take care of us after I gave birth to my daughter, Anastasia in June 2021. Lots of men won’t do that. Some people criticized him for that, saying he wasn’t correctly providing for his family. He not only provided for my physical care and mental health during this time, but he did again during this process as well. He held me when I cried a lot. He was there for all of it. My doctor’s appointments, the biopsy, my chemo appointments. He’s been the rock for me in the process and I could not have done it without him.
“My mom also helped out a lot. She took a leave from work and took my family and I into her home from Oct. to Jan. of 2022. While I rested during the day, she took care of my daughter. The days I couldn’t get up out of bed from the chemo, she was there and did everything she could for me. She is the best mother and deserves the world.”
The Tanner staff across the board were also instrumental in getting Bailey through this process.
“For those who may be facing the same thing I did I would tell them to have faith in their doctors and find a village and support team,” Bailey said. “I have so much love for all of them. Let people help you. It was hard for me to accept help at first, but I realized it came out of a place of genuine love and care for my well-being. I was unemployed going through this and when people tried to give me money, I didn’t want to accept it. I was also able to rely on my faith in God. When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t really have any faith in God. I had strayed from church and religion, but through this process I found Him. I learned to trust Him and His plan and not the strict plan I had laid out for myself.”
Bailey added that it was extremely difficult for her to withdraw from school for that semester during her treatment and recovery. She was focused on her studies, and it was her dream to graduate with her class because she loved school and learning so much.
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She even completed part of her college studies while still in high school so she could earn her degree early. When it came to the day she needed to withdraw, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Her fiancé had to push the enter button for her to complete the online form for withdrawal as she just couldn’t do it herself.
“I can’t say enough about Dr. Larson,” Bailey said. “He is an amazing doctor and has helped us so much. He answered every question we had and explained everything to us in a non-medical way. He creates that bond with his patients and he always greets us with a fist bump. He is just a good doctor and relates to you.”
Chemotherapy treatments are hard on the body, but Bailey has nothing but praise for the Tanner staff who helped her in those moments.
“The nurses, Britney, Kylie and Michelle — they are amazing,” Bailey said. “The second you walk in, they ask if you need a blanket, a snack, a pillow. They want you to be as comfortable as possible because they know how hard it is. They have conversations with all their patients or allow you to be alone. They see to your needs.
“One of the chemo drugs I had to take can cause burns and sores in your mouth, so they recommended to eat something cold while I was receiving that treatment,” said Bailey. “They gave me ice cream and popsicles to help alleviate that. I can’t say enough about those three women."
Bailey does have one amusing moment about her journey: It’s a tradition to ring the bell when you are declared cancer free.
“On my last treatment day, they knew I was already cancer-free as I had a recent PET scan,” Bailey said. “There was no cancer in that scan, but I needed the last treatment to complete the cycle. On my last treatment, my fiancé came with me, and I presented the nurses with a few gifts for their kindness. My mom also surprised me that day by bringing my daughter and other family members to watch me ring the bell. When it came time to ring the bell, I rang it and I’m standing there all happy and everyone was kind of laughing. I looked up and realized the bell was half hanging off the wall. In my enthusiasm, I broke the bell.”
Personal struggles turned professional passion
With successful treatment and the support of her Tanner care team, Bailey has now completed her degree at Auburn and is employed with AtlaPointe Health.
“I am a care coordinator working with children and adolescents,” Bailey said. “After they see their therapists, I develop their homecare plans.”
Bailey’s experience with getting her own mental health treatment inspired her desire to go into the field of psychology.
“I’ve always been passionate about mental health after my own struggles in high school,” Bailey said. “My parents are from a different generation where those types of things were not really talked about. I didn’t really get the professional help that I needed at the time. That’s why I want to help children and teenagers who are in a place like I was. I was dealing with anxiety during those formative years.”
Bailey believes her experiences give her a unique perspective beyond what she learned in the classroom and is ready to do all she can to help young people get the treatment they need.