Inspirational Stories

In February 2023, I developed a cough that would not go away. I went to the doctor twice. Both times I was told it was “long COVID,” and it would eventually go away. I continued with my life as normal and even went on a week-long trip to New York in April where I did a live Peloton Cycle class to celebrate my 400th ride (a milestone and dream come true for me). By the time I got home from New York, I was in bad shape. The cough had progressed, and daily activities were difficult. I couldn't make it through the day without a nap, the stairs were daunting, my heart rate was through the roof, and I just felt awful. I went back to the doctor for the third time. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was really wrong. This time, the doctor did X-rays and found a tumor the size of a softball between my heart and my lungs.

In May 2023, I was diagnosed with lymphoma, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), to be exact. I quickly learned that while this was an aggressive cancer, it was also very treatable. I went through six cycles of week-long inpatient chemo with two-week breaks in between.

I lost all my hair in the first two weeks, and the journey wasn’t without some bumps in the road ― pneumonia twice, a GI infection, and sepsis requiring a blood transfusion. Chemo was rough, and I am grateful to be on the other side of it. In October 2023, I went into remission. I am four Peloton rides away from my 500th, a personal achievement I am very proud of! I still have regular scans, but every single day I feel a little like my old self! I am grateful to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for the information and research provided to help fight this terrible disease.