In June 19’ I was dealing with some issues where I felt I ran a marathon, when I was simply standing, I had issues with my iron as well as being so tired, head aches every day, and a pain in my back. My GP did some blood tests, told me I was iron deficient, and sent me to a cardiologist who told me I was just lazy, not getting enough exercise. So i issued.
In August I decided to start a new life in Detroit. While I was there my body would overheat all the time. It was like 90° outside in the middle of summer, so I didn’t think much of it. I still had a pain that was in my back and since I was in a new place I decided to go ahead and get a new doctor. When I went to see the doctor they done some bloodwork as well as a x-ray for my back.
The next day he called me and told me to come in immediately, that’s when I knew something was wrong. He told me that my blood count showed high platelets, and the x-ray came back with an 11 cm mass in my chest. He didn’t know what it was so he sent me to get a CT scan. This determined that I had lymphoma.
I told my parents back in North Carolina & they immediately drove up to get me. When I got back home I got into an oncologist where they done a pet scan & biopsy. He diagnosed me with late stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
I was only six months away from dying. What’s crazy is for months pinned every single symptom on something else, when I could’ve been saved a bit earlier. I started treatment, lost my hair, gained a lot of weight, and hit remission. A month later I was re-diagnosed after a follow up PET, so we moved forward with more chemo and then a stem cell transplant that Duke.
It was truly the hardest thing I have ever had to face in my life. Cancer is not something that runs in my family, I’m pretty sure I’m the first to have it. I don’t know where it came from or what caused it, but in between all of that I met the guy that I’m going to marry. I got some good out of it, and some bad. I probably can’t have kids, but I’m alive.
I’m eight months into remission at this point, I’ve got crazy girls in my hair, and I’m feeling really good again. I hope my message can tell other people to go to their GA the second they feel something is wrong. If they don’t give you good enough answers keep bugging them, you could have something very serious and it would be much better to find out sooner than later. I was almost too late, but thank God I’m still here.
