Melinda Kolodynski saw a doctor because she was having back pain that she believed was related to her menstruation. However, the 34-year-old was diagnosed with a rare cancer a year later, and nine months later, she passed away sadly. Her husband and their two boys, ages 6 and 3 respectively, remained. After learning about her prognosis, she bemoaned the idea that she wouldn’t be able to witness her children’s development.

I was experiencing the worst pain of my life.

Kolodynski sent a message on social media when her cancer spread to her liver, saying, “Once again we spend a couple of days with our heads in the pillow, tears streaming down our faces.” However, there is a fight to be had, and I’m not done here, so it’s time to stand up, brush yourself down, and continue. Her diagnosis from the doctors was one that she “wasn’t willing to accept.”

Tracey McClure, Kolodynski’s mother, created a GoFundMe to seek money for medical expenses and to provide Kolodynski with the highest degree of comfort during her last hours. Even after Kolodynski’s passing, however, donations to the grieving family and support for anticipated financial difficulties persisted.

Kolodynski’s backache was the catalyst for everything, which he was able to quickly treat with Panadol. She was able to support her family and continue working as an account manager. But the discomfort increased over the course of two months.

The pain persisted even after Kolodynski took Panadol once again in July 2022. I was experiencing the worst agony of my life by 11 p.m. I had the sensation of giving birth. I asked my husband to murder me because it was so horrible while we waited for the paramedics.

The discomfort had subsided by the time the paramedics came. Kolodynski made a joke with her husband David on the way to the hospital, saying that because she was feeling better, she probably merely had constipation. “I was feeling a lot better, but the doctors did CT scans of my pelvis to check,” said Kolodynski. “They thought I had advanced ovarian cancer when they discovered the three tumors,” the patient claimed.

Her actual diagnosis, though, was considerably more dire. She underwent more tests before being identified as having angiosarcoma, a rare soft tissue blood cancer. It is an uncommon kind of cancer that frequently manifests as a second tumor on the skin’s surface. My main cancer was in my pelvis, therefore the doctor said I was a one in ten million case.

But because it was so uncommon, it was hard to come up with a cure. She wasn’t a good candidate for any clinical studies. Doctors suggested a large pelvic exenteration operation after chemotherapy failed. Although it wouldn’t treat the disease, it may extend her life. “Despite this, the physicians came to the last-minute decision that my tumor was too huge to ensure any success. As of December 2022, when she made her announcement, there is no current plan. I am aware that I will eventually die from cancer. But all I really need is more time.

To make the most of the time she had left, she gave her kids the best start in life imaginable. She stated, “I want to keep doing the routine things with my guys.” In the past, if they requested me to read a book, I would keep making dinner. I now pause, though, and read the book. To see Corey attend class, I’d want to take them on vacation, but I’m not sure it would be possible.

Max, her oldest kid, suffered from his own health issues. He is presently undergoing a marathon of surgery to extend his leg due to his congenitally small femur. Kolodynski remarked, “It’s my responsibility as his mother to be there for him.” He is six years old. Therefore, he is pretty intelligent. I assured him that his father and grandmother would look after him despite the fact that mothers can’t always be present for their children. She prioritized her family and valued being “present in every moment.”

Angiosarcoma is an uncommon kind of cancer that can grow in the lining of the lymph and blood vessels. Although it may occur everywhere in the body, it often affects the skin, liver, spleen, and breast. One in a million Americans obtain this diagnosis each year since it is so uncommon. It may resemble a bruised region that swells and bleeds readily when it affects the skin.

Despite the chance of localized discomfort, if the cancer is farther advanced in the body, there may not be any signs. Imaging tests like an MRI, CT, or PET scan are used to identify the tumor and determine its size in the diagnosis process. The doctor would then do a biopsy to determine the cancer’s kind.

Due to its rapid development, angiosarcoma requires aggressive treatment, which usually entails surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Depending on where the tumor is placed, surgery may not always be an option to completely or partially remove the tumor. The malignant spot might be targeted with radiation therapy in addition to surgery to prevent it from regrowing. When surgery is not a possibility, it is also used. Additionally to chemotherapy, radiation therapy may be used if the tumor has spread to other body areas.

The location of the tumor, how much of it remains there following surgery, and whether or not it has migrated to other parts of the body all affect a patient’s prognosis for angiosarcoma. The cancer has typically progressed to other physiological regions by the time it is discovered when significant symptoms first arise, making the prognosis challenging. Fortunately, researchers and medical professionals are attempting to discover and create brand-new angiosarcoma therapies.