Mom’s Persistent Tingling Leads โขto Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis
A mother’s persistentโข tingling in โher arm, initially dismissed as โanxiety, ultimately led to a devastating diagnosisโค of โขStage 4 cancer after aโ sudden collapse.Kelsey Stoksted, 34, of Michigan, experienced months of the unusual sensation before receiving the life-altering news. Her โฃstory underscores โthe importance of persistent medical inquiry, evenโ when symptoms โขseem minorโข or are initially attributed toโค stress.
Stoksted’s ordeal began โฃwith โa โtingling sensation in her left arm thatโ she initially attributed to anxiety.โ Whenโค the tingling worsened and she began โขexperiencing โฃweakness,โ she sought medical attention.โ Though, a visit to urgent care yieldedโ aโข diagnosis of anxiety, and she was sent home.โข Shortly after, โStoksted collapsed and was rushed โขtoโ theโค hospital where scans revealed a mass onโ her brain. Further โtesting confirmedโข aโ diagnosisโค of Stage 4 โฃglioblastoma, anโ aggressive โคform of brain cancer.
“It was just a really weird tingling,”โค Stoksted told the Daily Mail. “I just โthought it was anxiety, and I was trying โคto brush โฃit โขoff.”
Doctorsโ discovered Stoksted โhadโฃ a geneticโ mutation that makes the cancer less aggressive, improving her prognosis. Initially, โshe was given a grim โoutlook, but the mutationโข offered a glimmer of hope. “Due to the โฃmutation, my prognosis was 12โฃ to 15 years,โ and when theyโ toldโ us that we where so happy,” โฃshe said.
Despite the challenging road ahead, Stoksted remainsโ optimistic and grateful for the advancements in modern medicine. “This is all still really hard, butโค I am gratefulโข to be here โฃand hopeful in my journey,” she shared. In a recentโ TikTok video, she expressed her gratitude for her medical team, stating, “Modernโฃ medicine is โฃthe reason I’m โคstill here. Giving myself and my family a chance at living life together.”
Glioblastoma is a rare โand aggressive โcancer that affects glialโฃ cellsโ in โthe brain. according to the National โBrain tumor Society,โค approximatelyโฃ 43,330โข Americans willโ be diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in 2024. Stoksted’s case highlights the need forโฃ continued research and awareness surrounding โคbrain tumorโ symptoms, as โearlyโ detection can significantly impact treatment outcomes.