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Death Hidden Behind a Simple Cough

Death Hidden Behind a Simple Cough
In the United States, a pregnant woman’s seemingly ordinary cough turned out to be linked to a life-threatening tumor. Thanks to timely diagnosis and coordinated medical action, both the mother and baby’s lives were saved.

The Hidden Danger Behind the Cough
26-year-old MaKenna was preparing to deliver her third child. In the last months of pregnancy, she began experiencing severe coughing and shortness of breath. Initially, these symptoms were assumed to be common effects of pregnancy.

"Every time I coughed, I became short of breath, nauseated, and sometimes even vomited. This happened daily—even when I went outside to feed the horses and goats, my body felt exhausted and my heart pounded," MaKenna said.

As her condition worsened, doctors finally conducted a deeper examination, revealing a tumor in her chest near the heart. The tumor had completely blocked the artery to her right lung.

“An Extremely Rare Case” — Doctors
At Chicago’s Memorial Hospital, urgent tests showed the tumor had grown into the major blood vessels leading to the heart. Cardiac surgeon Dr. Chris Mehta described it as “an exceptionally rare situation, seen once every few years.”

Due to pregnancy, the woman’s lungs were already under pressure, and the presence of such a large tumor posed a risk of severe respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.

C-Section That Saved Lives
Through an emergency cesarean section, a healthy baby — Colter — was born. After the delivery, MaKenna’s condition stabilized, and the focus shifted to removing the tumor.

A biopsy revealed that MaKenna had stage 3 melanoma. The cancer had likely started on her skin and spread internally, affecting her right lung, the main pulmonary artery, and lymph nodes.

Surgery and Hope
Doctors first used immunotherapy to shrink the tumor by 30%. Then they performed a highly complex and risky surgery involving the heart and lungs. MaKenna’s entire right lung, the affected part of the pulmonary artery, and lymph nodes were removed.

The good news: no additional cancerous spread was found in post-surgery scans, and the disease is currently considered “stable.”

“Adjusting to My New Life”
MaKenna is now recovering both physically and emotionally. “Sometimes the painful memories and the uncertainty of the future weigh on me. But my son and my husband give me strength,” she said.

Her son Colter is now a healthy, happy baby, and MaKenna will continue a year-long course of immunotherapy.

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