Inspirational Stories

On May 24, 2020, at 23 years old, I started getting dizzy out of nowhere. I thought maybe I needed to eat and sleep better, but it got worse. I went to the ER, and they said I was anemic and sent me home. I bought a bunch of food that’s supposed to help anemia, but I kept getting worse, to the point where I couldn’t get up to eat. I would throw up and get dizzy and almost pass out. I lost color, and my lips turned pale. I lost weight, and I pretty much looked like a zombie. Then one day I couldn’t get up, and I sat in the same spot for hours. I finally called someone to come over to help me. I managed to get up as my friend arrived, but I was walking like a zombie, struggling to breathe. As I inched toward the door, my legs just stopped working, and I collapsed against the wall to the floor. I crawled to the door to unlock it for my friend. We ended up going to my mother-in-law’s house. As we got there, the walk-in clinic I had visited a while back called to tell me something was wrong with my blood. They said I needed to get to an ER ASAP! At the ER, they tried to tell me I had Covid-19, but I knew I didn’t. We left and went to the same ER that told me I was just anemic. Luckily, I saw a different doctor, and she quickly tried to get blood. I was so dehydrated, though, they couldn’t find a vein. So, I was admitted to the ICU for three days where I got blood transfusions because my blood counts were all low.

After three days, I started to get color back. A doctor came in to tell me I had leukemia, but they weren’t sure what type. So, I was transported by ambulance to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. I was there for a month, but after just two days, they came to the conclusion that I had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). There were months and months of biopsies and lumbar punctures, meds, and IV steroids, but the cancer still wasn’t gone. After a year of chemo, they decided a bone marrow transplant was my best bet. Fast forward to May 2, 2021, I was admitted to the hospital where I had more chemo and total body radiation. I got my bone marrow transplant on May 10. After that, I was taking 14 pills in the morning and 18 at night and ended up getting severe mucositis. I had swollen lips and sores all over my mouth. I couldn’t eat, drink, swallow, or take pills. I even lost my voice. On May 29, my mouth was better, but not great. I was starting to get my voice back, and we were discharged!

I have a supportive fiancé who has been nothing but incredible. I’m so blessed. When I was diagnosed, we were in the process of moving and getting married. We had just sent out our wedding invitations, but we had to put everything on hold. Then we had to cancel the wedding because of Covid-19.  Because of the virus, after three visits, my fiancé could no longer come to the hospital to see me. It was very hard and depressing. But here we are today, the donor cells engrafted, and I’m getting back to being healthy. I still have bad days . . . certain foods upset my stomach, and I get sick. I’ve got a bone marrow biopsy coming up, and I’m about to get scheduled for a port.  I’m excited about the port since I’ll be able to have more freedom and can shower normally. Today is June 8, and I’m blessed that God has gotten me through so much. I never thought this would happen to me.