25 years ago yesterday I collapsed on the playground at
school. I have no memory of that, but I do remember not feeling well and
wanting to tell the teacher. But saw a kid in my class tell the teacher he
didn't feel good and she sent him back in line. The teacher said it is just the
beginning of school jitters. Next thing
I remember, is the teacher telling me my mom was going to come and pick me up to take me to the
Doctor. I remember thinking "how did she
know I didn't feel good." It was my first grade teacher who brought my second
grade teacher, and my parents aware of my illness.( Sidni Van Allen Dohm Your
mom will always hold a special place in my heart for what she did for me.) That day my doctor felt my spleen and told my
parents he thought I had cancer. Thanks to my wonderful doctor for not messing
around with test after test and for sending me straight to Wichta. (Heather
Hicklin Henke your dad had huge part in saving my life.) Next I was sent to
Wichita for testing. 25 years ago today
I was going through a lot of tests.
Spinal tap, Bone marrow, blood tests, one I remember needing to drink
some orange drink and it took several hours and I fell asleep on the table. 25 years ago tomorrow the doctor walked into
my hospital room and told us that I had Luekemia, ALL. I spent the next 3 weeks in the hospital
going through chemotheropy and the next three year back and forth to Wichita
for treatment. I also had to miss a lot of school in that 3 years. If there was a chicken pox outbreak I had to be out of school until it was all completely gone. So when I felt good enough to go to school I still had to stay home. Sounds like the dream huh? Not really. Something as little as chicken pox could have killed me. And I was missing out on everything my friends were doing which made it hard to stay connected to friends. I did get chicken pox and had to be rushed to Wichita to the hospital so I could be be watched closely.
Seems like a lot for a young kid to go through but I am a survivor. It forever changed my
life. It made me stronger then I think I
would have been other wise and it made me take life in, and not sweat the small
stuff. It also gave me my husband and
family. It also brought of amazing people in my life thanks to Donna Brown and Camp Hope. God truly has a plan for everything.
