My name is Kelsey, and I am a cancer patient and survivor. I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in September 2023, when I was 21 years old, during my last semester of nursing school at Wright State University. Being a nursing student, I could recognize that something was just not right with me, so I made a doctor's appointment and got some bloodwork done. Soon after that, I received a call that my hemoglobin and white blood cells were low, and I needed to go to the ER right away for a blood transfusion. The ER doctor suspected that I had some type of cancer due to my white blood cell count, so I was transferred to Kettering Health Main Campus to get a bone marrow biopsy. The results showed that I had leukemia, and I was referred to the James at Ohio State University to get treatment there. This was a very scary time for my family and me. I had no idea if I could ever finish nursing school, be able to have children, or even survive this aggressive blood cancer. However, the care that I received at Kettering and at OSU was phenomenal, and all the healthcare workers did a great job making my family and me feel comfortable throughout everything going on. Shortly after being diagnosed, I was admitted to OSU to receive chemotherapy, a regimen called 7+3. It was a very aggressive treatment that had its fair share of side effects, but after being in the hospital for about a month, I was in remission. However, I was told that due to some mutations I had, I would need to have a bone marrow transplant. So, on December 29, 2023, I received my bone marrow transplant. After the transplant, I have been dealing with some problems like brain inflammation and graft versus host disease, but I am managing. It's been a long journey, and I am still recovering, but in December this year, it will mark the two-year anniversary of my transplant. I am getting married in September, and I am also going to meet my bone marrow donor at the end of August. I finished nursing school and am working part-time as an infusion nurse in an oncology clinic. I am proud to be helping others who are going through their own cancer journeys, and hopefully, I can make their experience a little better. I am so grateful that I am surviving and living my life after having such a life-changing illness. I would not be where I am today if it weren't for my health care team, my family, friends, and my fiancé. They have truly been there every step of the way through this hard journey. The James and Blood Cancer United have also helped tremendously with finances, resources, and having young adult events where I can meet other people with similar experiences. Cancer is tough, but we are tougher! Let my story be a lesson to never give up on yourself or your dreams. Keep fighting!
Kelsey
acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
