I have been on an epic journey but I promise there are some funny parts to my story even though some of it is pretty harrowing!
The type of Leukaemia I have - AML is rare and especially at my age (39 at diagnosis) so one reason for writing this is to reach out to others who are going through the extremely tough treatment and those who have been through it too! I hope to help others as well as myself to deal with blood cancer and I would love to know what to expect emotionally in the future! I do feel a little alone at times, even though there is help out there, talking to others who have actually been through it would be fantastic!
I am married and have an 8 year old daughter who is finding it hard to deal with and express her emotions and I would welcome any advice from other Leukaemia patients who have been through this too.
I am ready to talk about my journey now and believe that helping others be something positive in the next page of my story! This totally awful thing that happened to me but it doesn't have to be . I love helping others and if I can help another sufferer who is in the depths of despair then that would be amazing, I know how much small acts of kindness can mean! I know that some people don't like to talk about it and that is ok, its important to remember that we all have our own way of dealing with cancer.
I still can't believe what has happened and it sometimes feel like I am telling someone else's story!
Please come back and read more of my posts that will be coming very soon!! I have soooo much to write about including my shock emergency hospital admission, the wonderful NHS and its staff, emotions, intense cycles of chemo, the side effects of the treatment, loss of appetite - food the enemy, sadness at losing my fertility, spending weeks and weeks in hospital, memory loss - chemo brain, living with blood cancer for ever, losing my rapunzel hair, how my family has coped, how my friends have helped and coped, the power of Twitter and Facebook, the phenomenal amount of support I've had, the kindness of strangers and other patients I've met on my journey, my amazing local race for life story, inspiring others, the positives (yea really!!), oh and lots lots more!!
This selfie of me and my daughter was taken only a couple of weeks before cancer came and took over my life!
Much Love......Anna
