You’re right, Susan, you have the absolute best attitude about this disease. It is ridiculous! Leukemia doesn’t play fair. I know the feeling of being clipped off at the knees just when I thought I was going to be cruising through this aging business with no catastrophic illness. I’d done everything right my entire adult life to remain healthy; Ate healthy foods, exercised, walked 7-10miles daily, occasional glass of wine, no smoking, yada yada… Then boom, within 3 weeks I went from super healthy to inches away from pushing up daisies from the underside. I could feel my life slipping away! It wasn’t fair because I was certainly not done living!

Thank heavens for chemo! Yes, I said it! I was so grateful for this treatment because months of intense chemo and bmt returned my life to me! It wasn’t an easy journey by any means. But for me, there was a huge reward on the other side.

Your attitude towards this disease will help you get through the treatments and also help you recover faster. My bmt team repeatedly tell me much of my success was because of my previous healthy life style and continuing walking during treatment. I also followed their directives to the letter which is crucial. There are protocols for a reason.

Just so know you and don’t get too frustrated about it, there will be days when you physically won’t feel up to walking any further than to the bathroom or kitchen. Lack of red blood cells will have your oxygen level dropping after chemo. But don’t lose faith in the process. Our bodies are designed for healing. So with time you’ll recover, regaining strength and stamina. It’s that spirit of endurance that keeps you going.

The thought of the transplant was daunting. My husband and I knew of no one who had gone through the process of transplant, relocating to a new city for 4 months, or what to expect. It would have helped immensely to have been able to talk with someone who had walked the walk.
That’s why I’m here in Connect. I’m trying to make sure anyone facing AML or any form of leukemia, or requiring a bone marrow/stem cell transplant has a life line, a guide through the unknowns and to let them know there is hope for a future beyond a diagnosis of leukemia. ☺️