Print Version
Email this story
Comment
New mother faces challenge of cancer
 |
| Submitted photo Adrianne Zakour and her fiancé, Jesse Snoozy, with their baby, Keegan. Zakour was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma before Keegan was born, and is undergoing chemotherapy. |
Baby was premature so mom could undergo chemotherapy
By JILL AHO
H&N Staff Writer
Hearing her baby’s heartbeat for the first time brought home to 25-year-old Adrianne Zakour that she was to be a mother.
At the time, she didn’t know what was ahead. She would be fighting for her life while her newborn struggled to breathe in a neonatal intensive care unit.
But the first ultrasound was a time for rejoicing. Zakour’s fiancé, Jesse Snoozy, was ecstatic.
“I like kids,” he said. “I have a big family.”
At 20 weeks, Snoozy and Zakour learned they would have a boy, even though they had both been convinced the baby was a girl.
Ten weeks later, on Oct. 30, Zakour found a lump on her neck.
“In the ER they did a bunch of tests and said it looked like Hodgkin’s lymphoma,” Zakour said.
Zakour and Snoozy both were students at Klamath Community College and worked as certified nursing assistants for Sky Lakes Medical Center. Her biopsy the following week confirmed the ER doctor’s assessment.
“It was a really hard thing for them to do,” Zakour said. “The doctor sat on my bed and cried with me.”
It is rare for women to be diagnosed with cancer while pregnant. Zakour’s doctors told her the chances were one in 6,000. Zakour took the news hard, thinking of her mother who died from cancer at age 44. Her voice broke, and she admitted she was scared.
“Absolutely. More than I’ve ever been in my life,” she said. “Why me? Why now? I was very overwhelmed.”
Zakour’s doctors decided, since Hodgkin’s has a high rate of cure, that treatment could wait until her baby boy was born.
“As long as my tumors cooperated, I could wait 37 weeks,” she said.
More tumors
Each week Zakour visited both a cancer physician and an obstetrician for check-ups.
Less than a month later Zakour found another tumor on the other side of her neck.
“I kept complaining about it hurting,” she said. In all, Zakour has three masses, including a 12-centimeter growth above her heart.
Zakour’s doctors decided they couldn’t wait for the baby so they decided to induce labor, at 35 weeks. Her fiancé remained supportive.
“It was pretty devastating,” Snoozy said. “I don’t know what to think. I try to stay strong for her.”
Giving birth
After the drugs Cervidil and Pitocin had been administered, and nearly 38 hours had passed, Zakour gave birth Dec. 5 to Keegan Quinn Snoozy, who weighed 4 pounds, 14 ounces.
“I was kind of in awe. I don’t remember feeling any pain afterwards,” Zakour said. “I couldn’t believe I had actually had him.”
Keegan stayed in the room with his parents for about an hour before being whisked away to the nursery.
“The doctor said he may end up in the nursery for a week because he was only 35 weeks, but we didn’t expect it,” Zakour said.
“It was kind of nice to rest,” Snoozy said. “We weren’t worried.”
Difficulty breathing
But the doctors at Sky Lakes Medical Center were concerned about Keegan. His lungs hadn’t expanded and he needed more care than the hospital was equipped to provide.
Keegan was to be transported to a neonatal intensive care unit in Medford. Premature babies like Keegan sometimes aren’t able to make enough of the chemical surfactant, which helps prevent the lung from collapsing after exhalation.
Keegan is expected to be a healthy child. Zakour and Snoozy have not been told about any long-term health problems although they were told he may be slightly delayed in his development.
Because Zakour had to start treatment for her cancer soon after Keegan’s birth, she is unable to breast feed him. One of the obstetricians recently had a child and donated some breast milk to feed Keegan.
Zakour had her first chemotherapy treatment Dec. 12. She will continue having treatments every other week for six months, after which Zakour’s doctors will determine whether the tumors have shrunk, and whether Zakour needs radiation.
The new mother cannot hold her baby for a few hours after finishing chemotherapy because the drugs are toxic.
The stress of pregnancy and cancer were enough for Zakour’s doctors to recommend she suspend school until she is well again. She also was told it is best for her not to work.
Snoozy works off and on, and is taking family and medical leave time so he can visit Keegan in Medford. Keegan is expected to be healthy enough to come home in about a week.
“He might have to come home on oxygen,” Snoozy said.
Financial stress
The couple rents a duplex in Sunset Village, but with Zakour unable to work and Snoozy working sporadically, financial concerns are weighing heavily on the young couple.
Sky Lakes Medical Center staff have been supportive of the couple, with a lot of people donating hours, Snoozy said.
Zakour, because she only worked part-time at Sky Lakes, lacks medical coverage.
To help the couple fund trips to Medford to see Keegan and cover some medical bills, an account has been set up under Adrianne Zakour’s name at Sterling Savings Bank.
Zakour, when healthy again, would like to return to school to become an elementary school teacher, and Snoozy is working on his nursing degree.
How to help
To help the Adrianne Zakour and Jesse Snoozy fund trips to Medford to see baby Keegan and cover medical bills, an account has been set up under Adrianne Zakour’s name at Sterling Savings Bank.
At the time, she didn’t know what was ahead. She would be fighting for her life while her newborn struggled to breathe in a neonatal intensive care unit.
But the first ultrasound was a time for rejoicing. Zakour’s fiancé, Jesse Snoozy, was ecstatic.
“I like kids,” he said. “I have a big family.”
At 20 weeks, Snoozy and Zakour learned they would have a boy, even though they had both been convinced the baby was a girl.
Ten weeks later, on Oct. 30, Zakour found a lump on her neck.
“In the ER they did a bunch of tests and said it looked like Hodgkin’s lymphoma,” Zakour said.
Zakour and Snoozy both were students at Klamath Community College and worked as certified nursing assistants for Sky Lakes Medical Center. Her biopsy the following week confirmed the ER doctor’s assessment.
“It was a really hard thing for them to do,” Zakour said. “The doctor sat on my bed and cried with me.”
It is rare for women to be diagnosed with cancer while pregnant. Zakour’s doctors told her the chances were one in 6,000. Zakour took the news hard, thinking of her mother who died from cancer at age 44. Her voice broke, and she admitted she was scared.
“Absolutely. More than I’ve ever been in my life,” she said. “Why me? Why now? I was very overwhelmed.”
Zakour’s doctors decided, since Hodgkin’s has a high rate of cure, that treatment could wait until her baby boy was born.
“As long as my tumors cooperated, I could wait 37 weeks,” she said.
More tumors
Each week Zakour visited both a cancer physician and an obstetrician for check-ups.
Less than a month later Zakour found another tumor on the other side of her neck.
“I kept complaining about it hurting,” she said. In all, Zakour has three masses, including a 12-centimeter growth above her heart.
Zakour’s doctors decided they couldn’t wait for the baby so they decided to induce labor, at 35 weeks. Her fiancé remained supportive.
“It was pretty devastating,” Snoozy said. “I don’t know what to think. I try to stay strong for her.”
Giving birth
After the drugs Cervidil and Pitocin had been administered, and nearly 38 hours had passed, Zakour gave birth Dec. 5 to Keegan Quinn Snoozy, who weighed 4 pounds, 14 ounces.
“I was kind of in awe. I don’t remember feeling any pain afterwards,” Zakour said. “I couldn’t believe I had actually had him.”
Keegan stayed in the room with his parents for about an hour before being whisked away to the nursery.
“The doctor said he may end up in the nursery for a week because he was only 35 weeks, but we didn’t expect it,” Zakour said.
“It was kind of nice to rest,” Snoozy said. “We weren’t worried.”
Difficulty breathing
But the doctors at Sky Lakes Medical Center were concerned about Keegan. His lungs hadn’t expanded and he needed more care than the hospital was equipped to provide.
Keegan was to be transported to a neonatal intensive care unit in Medford. Premature babies like Keegan sometimes aren’t able to make enough of the chemical surfactant, which helps prevent the lung from collapsing after exhalation.
Keegan is expected to be a healthy child. Zakour and Snoozy have not been told about any long-term health problems although they were told he may be slightly delayed in his development.
Because Zakour had to start treatment for her cancer soon after Keegan’s birth, she is unable to breast feed him. One of the obstetricians recently had a child and donated some breast milk to feed Keegan.
Zakour had her first chemotherapy treatment Dec. 12. She will continue having treatments every other week for six months, after which Zakour’s doctors will determine whether the tumors have shrunk, and whether Zakour needs radiation.
The new mother cannot hold her baby for a few hours after finishing chemotherapy because the drugs are toxic.
The stress of pregnancy and cancer were enough for Zakour’s doctors to recommend she suspend school until she is well again. She also was told it is best for her not to work.
Snoozy works off and on, and is taking family and medical leave time so he can visit Keegan in Medford. Keegan is expected to be healthy enough to come home in about a week.
“He might have to come home on oxygen,” Snoozy said.
Financial stress
The couple rents a duplex in Sunset Village, but with Zakour unable to work and Snoozy working sporadically, financial concerns are weighing heavily on the young couple.
Sky Lakes Medical Center staff have been supportive of the couple, with a lot of people donating hours, Snoozy said.
Zakour, because she only worked part-time at Sky Lakes, lacks medical coverage.
To help the couple fund trips to Medford to see Keegan and cover some medical bills, an account has been set up under Adrianne Zakour’s name at Sterling Savings Bank.
Zakour, when healthy again, would like to return to school to become an elementary school teacher, and Snoozy is working on his nursing degree.
How to help
To help the Adrianne Zakour and Jesse Snoozy fund trips to Medford to see baby Keegan and cover medical bills, an account has been set up under Adrianne Zakour’s name at Sterling Savings Bank.
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of HeraldAndNews.com. Comment Disclaimer: The editors of heraldandnews.com reserve the right to refuse publication of any comment posted for consideration. We may refuse for any reason, including use of profanity, disparaging comments, libelous comments, etc. Any reader who notices a comment they believe is particularly offensive, should notify us at webmaster@heraldandnews.com.
RSS
SP wrote on Dec 28, 2008 9:01 AM:
My family prays for you each night, and we are more than happy to help support your family in your financial areas, as you go through such a difficult time.
Please keep us readers updated on this story
Remeber God is good and have faith all will work out. "