I will not give up!
Life with acute lymphoid leukaemia.
I was a happy 11-year old girl who never complained of malaise.
One very beautiful sunny day, I am walking around my room in my underwear because we are getting ready to go to a birthday. As always, teenagers are not able to choose what to wear and there’s a lot of fuss.
Mother looks at me and asks, dear, what is this?There is an enlarged lymph node in my groin which doesn’t cause any complaints and therefore I hadn’t noticed it.
A week later, I visited my GP with a swollen neck. Mumps was diagnosed. This was also treated. A couple of weeks later, visiting the GP, we had to acknowledge that it hadn’t improved, so I was referred to a haematologist’s appointment. I remember it well, as on 1 September, I went to my school ceremony with a swollen neck. On 3 September, I was at the haematologist’s appointment and the next day I was in a ward getting ready for my first surgery.
I don’t remember the date the analysis results were given to my parents. I remember how they cried and held me in their arms.
The next half a year I spent in hospital under drips. I spent a total of 2.3 years in hospital. Weekly anaesthesia for cerebrospinal fluid, bone marrow and bone sampling became the norm and, in the end, didn’t even cause fear. Continuous chemotherapy. I tolerated chemotherapy well. Maybe because every morning my father brought a large vacuum flask with herbal tea made by my mother, which I had to drink until the evening. I remember my time in hospital only as very happy moments. The hospital personnel was super and supported me in every way.
The most difficult moments were those where you heard that your ward mate has left for a better place.
I won’t say that my time in hospital was nice, but I am the type who doesn’t let oneself be put out by anything. All of this has been difficult and emotional for myself as well as my family. But the support of family and close ones especially and a positive mindset have brought me to where I am now. I consider it an experience that has made me stronger, more confident and joyful.
I am now a 33-year-old, joyful, active mother of two in good shape.
I am thankful with all my heart to the hospital personnel and my attending doctor Sirje Mikkel.