David Tesdall was wary of going to the doctor for most of his life. In fact, the Las Vegas man would have rather done pretty much anything other than visit a doctor, instead choosing to handle on his own the aches and pains that came with being a professional handyman.
Tesdall values working hard and trying his best to provide for his family. It’s that blue-collar mentality that drove him to do everything in his power to not miss work, even if it meant ignoring a sickness or pain in his body.
“I just never liked going to the doctor,” he said. “It’s not something I did.”
It was this dismissive view of health care that almost cost him his life. One day, as he returned home after work, he could barely make it up the stairs.
He had been experiencing sudden pain in his legs and aches in his body. But the pain would subside and he wouldn’t think much of it after it was gone. This was different, though. Not being able to walk up the stairs caused him real concern.
Hoping his symptoms would go away on their own and not require medical attention, Tesdall decided to rest at home for a while. Over the coming days, he began having trouble breathing and could barely lift his arms or legs.
“Plain and simple, I couldn’t use my muscles,” he said. “It was bad.”
The handyman finally decided it was time to seek medical attention. A trip to the hospital confirmed that he had stage 4 non-Hodgkin diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a fast-growing form of cancer. It occurs when the body makes abnormal B-cells, which are white blood cells that help fight off infections. Lymphoma usually builds up in a person’s lymph nodes, though the cells can also affect other parts of the body.
Tesdall displayed many of the symptoms commonly associated with the disease — weight loss, extreme fatigue and swelling. He was in such bad shape after checking into the hospital that he had trouble moving. He was given his first round of chemotherapy while still there in the hospital.
“When I first saw him, he was very sick,” said Dr. K. Saad Jahangir with OptumCare Cancer Care. “He could barely sit in a chair.”
Jahangir and staff with OptumCare Cancer Care took over Tesdall’s treatment. They also worked to make Tesdall comfortable with his treatment plan and process, helping him to get over his longtime aversion to seeking medical care.
He was treated with a combination of chemotherapy drugs commonly referred to as R-CHOP, which consists of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. This type of treatment is most commonly associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It helps to quickly destroy cancer cells.
Tesdall received six chemotherapy treatments, which is common for patients with his diagnosis. The frequent trips for chemotherapy and checkups allowed him to interact and build relationships with Jahangir and the OptumCare Cancer Care staff. With each visit, a lot of the preconceived notions he had about health care began to fade away.
He saw the high level of compassion, commitment, and care that his medical team showed. Although the chemotherapy was hard on his body, Tesdall felt supported and realized his team of professionals sincerely cared for him, feelings he never expected to have when visiting his doctor.
“The people at OptumCare, I swear they were my brothers and sisters. That’s how much they cared,” he said. “I was depressed going into chemotherapy. It’s hard. It tears your body up. But they changed my attitude.”
Tesdall battled through all of his chemotherapy treatments and doctor visits. As his attitude towards health care changed, he fully bought into his recovery process. It gave him strength and inspiration to continue to fight for himself and his family.
For a patient that lived most of his life avoiding the doctor and most things health care-related, Jahangir says Tesdall committed himself to getting better.
“It’s a big credit to his family, who really helped take care of him,” Jahangir said. “He was very motivated as a patient and kept on fighting.”
It was that fight and willingness to open his mind to health care that led Tesdall to receive encouraging news. Jahangir was able to share the news that Tesdall was on his way to recovery.
Tesdall says he wants to use his experience as an example to others who tend to avoid doctor visits or ignore health issues that could be dangerous. He now urges everyone to stay on top of their health and visit the doctor if something is bothering them, even if it appears minor.
“Going to the doctor saved my life,” he said. “I’m real thankful to be here today.”