A newlywed woman who thought the tiredness she felt was due to a busy break away with her husband before Christmas was stunned to be diagnosed with cancer – and ended up spending the holidays in the hospital.
Anna Tower-Kovesdi, 35, from Durango, Colorado, was spending a long weekend in Chicago with her husband, Joe, last December when she felt fatigued and sweaty.
She never imagined feeling tired could be due to cancer, but alarming medical results found she had rapidly-developing acute leukaemia and she was airlifted to the hospital in the middle of the night.
After the shock diagnosis, she questioned whether her husband would want to stay with her, even granting him permission to leave her as she prepared to spend a gruelling month in the hospital.
“When they first told me the diagnosis at the ER, I told my husband that I don’t want to die and I asked him if he was sure he wanted to do this with me,” Anna told NeedToKnow.online.
“We were newlyweds and had only been married for only 5 months when I moved to the US from Hungary.
“I was worried I would be a burden to him. Scenes from movies immediately came to my mind, where all the patients are so weak, vomiting 24/7, couples are fighting all the time, and couldn’t understand each other. I didn’t want him to suffer.
“He said I was being stupid and should stop. I asked him at the time of diagnosis and then the next day, already in the hospital, and after the second one, he asked me not to ask again.”
What followed was a huge test on the marriage – and Anna’s wellbeing – as she was admitted to hospital on 20 December and didn’t leave until 24 January.
She said: “I was in the hospital and he stayed with me on Christmas night. We had dinner together in my hospital room, I had some Christmas decorations, put some LED lights on my IV Tower, and we had some presents to open.
“We were crying a lot and it was so surreal.
“It was a usual hospital day with some Christmas decorations and sad thoughts about how crazy it was to be in the hospital on Christmas day – and how much we wanted our first Christmas together in our decorated home.”
The battle has been tough going for Anna, who has experienced a range of horrifying symptoms.
She said: “Since my diagnosis, my whole physical appearance has changed. I lost my hair, I lost all of my muscles, I became skin and bones, and when I got a serious infection I lost almost 20 lbs in a week and got dehydrated, confused, and so weak that I couldn’t even walk alone or stand up from the toilet.
“This is not how you imagine the first year of being married to your new husband.
Of the warning signs, Anna said: “We walked for miles sightseeing and hadn’t slept much with travelling, so I thought I was just exhausted.
“But once we were home my symptoms worsened. I had night sweats, fatigue, breathlessness, bruises, and a fever so on 19 December 2021, I went to the emergency room because I was so concerned.
“Tests showed my bone marrow had 98% cancerous cells, and I was probably only about a week away from a stroke, if I hadn’t seen a doctor.
“There was only one week between my first symptoms and the diagnosis. I had acute leukaemia and it develops fast. My symptoms were a textbook.”
After further tests, Anna was airlifted from her hometown to Denver to start treatment.
She said: “Once the doctors knew what it was, I had to be airlifted to Denver in the middle of the night.
“My husband could not come with me so I was totally alone. I am Hungarian so English is a second language and I felt like I was facing this total unknown after getting a life-threatening diagnosis.
“My husband drove eight hours through the night to be with me at the Presbyterian/St Luke’s Medical Center, Colorado Blood Cancer Institute.”
On 21 December, Anna was given an official diagnosis of B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and she started chemotherapy right away.
Anna will be on various chemotherapies and other medication until at least June 2024 when she hopes to be cured, having been in remission after one month of intense treatment.
Luckily, Joe has been a huge support.
Anna said: “My husband has been incredible. He gave up his life to be able to be by my side 24/7. He worked remotely as a writer at my bedside.
“He was with me at the hospital all the time, slept there, did my laundry, made me food. He has been with me for each and every appointment and handles everything else like my insurance and the bills and moving admin.
“Life didn’t stop with my diagnosis, so all the obligations were still there and he has taken it all on.”
Throughout treatment, Anna has experienced lots of side effects but says she has managed them well thanks to having a healthy fit lifestyle before diagnosis.
She said: “I’ve suffered from bad nausea, headaches, stomach aches, vomiting, mouth ulcers, dry and sensitive skin.
“I have no immune system so I have to take precautions all the time: I wear a mask and sanitise everything. I can’t have raw foods or takeaways and I stay away from socialising and crowded places.
“This has been the most challenging experience of my life, but I’ve tried to remain positive and have never considered it as a death sentence – it’s a fight that I intend to win with my loved ones by my side.
“I know I’m stronger than I ever thought, and I’m going to beat this illness even if sometimes it feels impossible.
“I’m so grateful for all the amazing family support from both sides of our family. My dear sister-in-law has set us up a GoFundMe page to help with the enormous medical bills which we have to pay back for the rest of our lives.
“I want to tell others that no matter how young, healthy, or active you are, it can happen.
“Whenever you feel something is odd, go to the doctor. Go to the yearly check-ups as well, because early detection can save your life.
“Also, if you can, donate plasma, blood, and platelets. Giving blood just once can save three lives.”
Now, the couple is looking forward to their second Christmas as a married couple – this time far away from the hospital bed.
Anna said: “My only wish is not to spend it in the hospital. If everything goes well and as planned, then it can be a proper first Christmas as a married couple.”
