My name is Lisa, I am 50 years old. On March 5, 2012, my life forever changed. I went from being Lisa, wife to John, mother to Tristan (now 14), and stepmother to John (now 35) to Lisa, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient.
The date was May 15, 2015, in the local office of the hematologist/oncologist and I was given this message after the results of my bone marrow biopsy taken a week earlier.
I was 38 years old; my three-year-old daughter was turning four in one month. My wife and I just found out that we were expecting a new little one in eight months. I had been feeling weak, tired, and just like I had had a sickness that wouldn't go away for about four weeks.
I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when I was 43 years old and at the height of my career as an RN. I took care of critically ill patients but did not realize when I was critically ill myself. My diagnosis came after days of having hip pain which became progressively worse until I was unable to walk without assistance.
My symptoms began in May 2017. I was having shortness of breath while climbing stairs and jogging up even the smallest of inclines. I chalked my windedness to age; I was fifty-seven. And I told myself that I was tired after teaching a hectic school year.
Aila was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on October 5, 2023. She was nearly 16 months old and was just getting used to being a walking toddler and enjoying the exploration of her world. Aila had been feeling sick for a few weeks before she was diagnosed. She had fevers, irritability, fatigue, sleeping long hours, and a decreased appetite.
Shockingly I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on February 28, 2024! My wife Nancy and I were devastated and had zero background or experience with leukemia. We were sent to UCLA for treatment. What a godsend!
I can draw a hard line between my old life and my new reality, and this was the day I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in August 2022. Looking back on that day, I realize I didn’t have any idea what was ahead and what would be required of me, but I came to a quick realization I needed some sort of routine to make it through each day.
Ten years ago, at just 29, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) while being a mother to my 3-year-old daughter. After 83 days in the hospital, countless rounds of chemo, and losing hope when my family wasn't a match for a bone marrow transplant, a miracle happened ― a donor match was found.
I was extremely fatigued. I suspected that I had leukemia since I knew a lot about cancer. I saw my primary care doctor and described how bad I felt and my suspicion. He immediately ran blood tests and then referred me to a hematologist oncologist.