Story
Name
Melanie Smelser
Injury/Illness
Lymphoma
Hello, my name is Melanie. I am a 40 year old mom of an almost 12 year old daughter living in the twin cities metro area. I had been feeling ill since the beginning of July 2024. Fast forward to 3 ER visits within just one month and a number of tests later I had an outpatient procedure biopsy on my neck (I've lived here for 10 years and had never even been to the ER in MN prior) it was confirmed in August that I had stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma w/ Nodular Schlerosis both in my left side of my neck (near my clavicle) as well as on the left anterior side of my chest. I am currently 3 (soon to be 4 chemotherapy treatments in) and I will have roughly the next 5 months of treatment left. I normally work full time, however, while out on FMLA Medical leave through my employer, I was displaced from my corporate job after nearly 10 years due to them moving operations overseas to India and the Phillippines. I will not be cleared medically to return to work until after my treatment is completed and successful per my Oncology team and therefore I am not eligible to draw unemployment because I am not deemed "able bodied" at this time. I'm just trying to keep a roof over our heads during this time. Thank you all for taking the time to read this and please know that your support does not go unrecognized. ❤️