I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on October 27, 2020. I was 24 years old at the time, and my girlfriend had just given birth to our son a month before I got sick. I was first admitted to St. Mary’s Medical Hospital in Apple Valley, California, then later transferred to Loma Linda University Medical Center. The next year was the hardest for me, not being able to help my girlfriend take care of our newborn baby boy, missing holidays, birthdays, family gatherings, and events. I was constantly in and out of the hospital, so much so that it felt like I lived there. Every day got harder and harder. I quickly lost so much weight and kept getting very sick from all the chemo and medications I was being put on. It felt like it was never going to end. The hardest part was not being able to help my girlfriend with our son, and it hurt me inside. But they were my biggest motivation to fight every single day, no matter how hard it was. I had great support from my family, hospital staff members, and doctors. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. One year later, I’m still taking chemo medications, but I’m now in my maintenance phase going to remission. I visit my doctor every four weeks and get lumbar punctures after every three visits to make sure the cancer is gone and staying away.
Nathaniel
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
