My name is Mia, and for the past five years, I’ve been fighting battles that most people can’t see. It started with stage 4 endometriosis and adenomyosis at 21 years old, conditions that were literally destroying my insides and leaving me in constant pain. It took years of doctors, scans, meetings, surgeries, and unanswered questions before anyone realized how bad it really was. Oddly enough, that diagnosis ended up saving my life because after they treated it, they discovered I also had stage 4 lymphoma.
These last two years have been the hardest. I’ve spent more time in hospitals than anywhere else. A bit after my last round of chemo, my body went into ketoacidosis, which is a severe reaction that landed me in the ICU for five days. I was hypothermic, hours away from slipping into a coma, and came very close to not making it. That reaction left me with adrenal insufficiency, which means my body can no longer produce enough stress hormones to survive on its own. I now wear a medical alert band for life and rely on multiple medications every day just to function.
I can’t work or go to school right now because my body simply can’t handle it. All of my college savings have gone toward medical bills, medications, and basic necessities. Even simple things like getting groceries or walking my dogs can be exhausting on the bad days.
Through everything, I’ve tried to hold onto hope. This journey has tested every part of me, physically, emotionally, and financially. But I’m still here, and I’m still fighting. I’m endlessly grateful for every bit of kindness that’s helped me keep going.
Mia
lymphoma
