During this time, I had an appointment with an optometrist. He discovered "blood" inside my eyeballs, and questioned whether I had high blood pressure or anemia. I assured him that I did not, and he recommended that I see a physician, and told me not to worry.
Several weeks later, during my annual visit to my gynocological oncologist, I explained my ailments (signs and symptoms); headaches, shortness of breath, night sweats, "bug bites", feeling of fullness below my rib cage on my left side, the blood inside my eyes, bruising and the weird color of my blood.
He recommended a CT scan and a blood test; by morning, he had confirmed a diagnosis of leukemia and told me to go immediately to the ER, as he had already contacted a hematologic oncologist to meet me there.
It was forty-eight hours before the diagnosis was confirmed as chronic myelogenous leukemia. I had undergone a bone marrow biopsy, been hooked up to a machine to remove the massive amount of white cells in my bloodstream and had chemotherapy dripping into my veins.
I was a sick puppy and I was told that I must learn to live with leukemia, for the rest of my life. Fortunately, for me, CML was now a "treatable" cancer, and despite the extreme cost of the life-saving medication, I would be able to obtain treatment and learn to live with the uncertainty and side effects that come along with a diagnosis of chronic cancer.
Because of research done during the late 1990s, I am still here today to tell my story, and to continue to live my life. This great blessing has led me to become a patient advocate for CML and to join in the fundraising efforts of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society during the month of September, which is National Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
Every October, Boise participates in the Light the Night Walk which is organized by the LLS:
"When you or someone you love hears the words "you have cancer"...It's one of the darkest moments in your life.
At Light The Night, it is our aim to bring light to the darkness of cancer through research and cures. Light The Night is a series of fundraising campaigns benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) funding of research to find blood cancer cures. We bring hope instead of despair by working to ensure access to treatments for all blood cancer patients. We bring communities together to celebrate those who are fighting the disease and to honor those we have lost.
We are taking steps to end cancer. WE LIGHT THE NIGHT."
So, once again, I am calling on friends and family to help me raise money to Light the Night!!
Thank you so much for your support!
Light the Night 2019 Donations
FaceBook: CML: A Place for Hope and Humor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmlmichele
Email: CMLMichele59@gmail.com
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