Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL/SLL)

My name is Jaime Fernandez and I am a Clinical Social Worker with UCI Health. I have the pleasure and honor of working with individuals diagnosed with blood cancers. Supporting my patients and their loved ones as they navigate these diagnoses has become my driving force.

The last time I gave blood was in June of 2016. I was set to start my fourth gallon when I was told by the volunteer my iron was too low. “Come back next time and eat some raisins before you come,” I was told. The next time was an iron failure again. I made an appointment with my PCP for my annual physical and he drew blood for a CBC.

I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in April 2009. I was so devastated. The first thing that got me through was a friend who had just won his battle with leukemia. I hadn't seen him in about a year, but he popped up all of a sudden that day and gave me hope.

My story begins almost 24 years ago in 1996, when I was diagnosed with cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Back then, there was no cure for CLL except for a bone marrow transplant (BMT), but that procedure only had a survival rate of 50%, not very attractive odds. My prognosis was I had anywhere from six to 15 years without a BMT.

In January 2014 I got pneumonia for the third in under two years. The hematologists examined my blood and suspected CLL, since my white-blood count was so low. Then a bone-marrow biopsy confirmed this. This certainly explained my inability to fight infections. I skipped all the steps in the grieving process and went straight to acceptance: It is what it is.