At the time, I’m just hanging out with friends, doing all these activities. I’m overworking myself. I didn’t really think anything of it. But when I look back, all the symptoms were there.

I had shortness of breath. Walking to my car, I’d be out of breath. I went to work one day, and I was there for an hour. I was exhausted, so I ended up going home and just sleeping that afternoon. Then I would get little bruises on my body. I thought I must have run into something, not a big deal, but I was itchy. Separate from the diagnosis, I ended up having scabies. But before I went to get my lab work done, I itched myself so much. 

I was bruised all the way down my legs and on my back. That’s when I thought, ‘I need to go to the doctor.’

I didn’t even realize then the impact of having cancer. I was told I had leukemia, but why is this also so much nicer? This probably isn’t a good thing. But my parents were there, and it was so nice to have them.

My mom wanted to sleep there, but I said no because she lives literally a half hour away. I don’t want her to sleep there. They came every day, which is super nice. My other family members came, too.

I also remember texting my friends. I think I was going to see them or something. I had doubts — should I tell them this? 

A huge part of being sick for me is knowing the general reaction of people feeling bad, but I don’t want someone to feel bad for me.

I started to tell some of my friends, and they were super great about it. 

When I was transferred to Yale to get better care, that’s when it became really hard. It’s far away from where I live, but my parents came to see me every day. Just the shock of it. I’m 24 years old, and I’ve never gotten sick. I can’t believe this is happening to me.

»MORE: Patients share how they processed a cancer diagnosis

Breaking the news to family and friends

Definitely in strides. It’s obviously a super heavy conversation to have.

My parents were the first ones to find out, and I had them tell my family. I was just so emotional even just to send the text that I was diagnosed. I only texted a handful of my friends. Others, I didn’t actually tell.

But they’d understand that I’m not responding back for days because I’m going through treatment, or I just can’t talk on the phone all the time because I was really tired.

»MORE: Breaking the news of a diagnosis to loved ones

None of my parents and grandparents have leukemia or blood cancer, but other cancers. The doctor described it as it’s almost like a car crash — you won’t know if it’s going to happen.

It was also helpful for your family to hear it right. I think one of the most emotional parts for me when I was getting diagnosed was seeing my dad get emotional wondering that very question: Was it because of the genes that my parents gave me?

The hospital had a whiteboard. Since a big part of leukemia are blood counts, they would write my counts up there, too. 

Definitely, there’s a lot of information and hard to organize, but having a nurse or being able to talk to someone you’re comfortable with — for me, it was my mom — helps.

That was like an affirmation that was I going through treatment. 

What did you get for your chemo infusions?

I got a Hickman and a central line, as they would call it. I definitely had IVs in my arm before they put the line in. The hard part about this is I’m a tough stick, as they call it. You can probably still see a little bit of bruising or discoloration.

For treatment in general, it’s necessary to have it. They’re doing labs every day, almost round the clock, especially at first.

Until the Hickman is put in, you’re getting poked all the time, which takes up the veins as well.

That was probably one of the first procedures for major treatment event for me, aside from the bone marrow biopsy, which was a little scary, too.

The whole process is kind of nerve-wracking.

The residents were all there, too. I remember them being super supportive again, which made me feel nice.

Then when I got transferred to Yale, they had to do another bone marrow biopsy because it was a different hospital. It’s just been a week, and I had another one, so again, a nervous feeling. Now I’m very used to them.

I was trying so hard mentally to transport myself somewhere else. As it’s happening, I remember my then-fiancé asking me if I want a video or a photo. I said I don’t ever want to see what’s going on back there.

I did make a friend, too. Most people with my diagnosis are white male, age 60+. Obviously, being biracial and being young and female doesn’t hit any of those categories. When I was down there about a month in, I met another girl who was just about 18. We would go on walks together. We’re going through the same treatment. She’s still a friend today

It was nice to go through something together and ask those kinds of questions that I didn’t know anyone else around my age asks. Like, why me?

It was a huge emotional impact on me, and having someone else around the same age group gave me a little more affirmation. It was nice to make a friend.

What helped reduce the side effects?

Probably the worst ones were nausea. I can’t keep anything down. The chemo is just so intensive. There are medications that help alleviate it, like Zofran. The others are push drugs so that they react faster. But the nurses are great. You can just ring your call bell, and they’ll come.

Another worse side effect was feeling really tired. People are trying to visit, but I’m just so tired. My parents and friends would just then talk to each other.

Then the third one would be strength. The second time after my relapse and coming out of the hospital, I just couldn’t even walk. I was in bed all day.

I tried to be as active as possible, but my body mass decreased so much. I was not eating, and that’s a big one.