Personal Narrative: Finding Yourself

The calendar read July 28, 2014 as I laid on a cold, hard hospital bed awaiting the results of my MRI scan. My waiting came to a sudden end when the Oncologist entered the room with a sorrowful look revealing I had stage 4A Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Lost for words, as I sat in disbelief of the news, tears began to run down my face. Oddly, my tears were not of sadness. At the time, crying just felt like the natural thing to do. My body physically reacted before my mind could even begin to process the information.

Six years and then four months. First ALS then Glioblastoma. Rewind. A lot is missing. My story has partially been told already in this portfolio called "A Love Diagnoses." Continue. Since the time of the essay I have passed. October 17, 2016. You see, the time before I passed, I was in and out of hospitals. So much had gone wrong and doctors could not even pinpoint a cause or a solution. A hypothesis, the multiple drugs I had been on were causing my organs to fail and liquid to build up in my abdomen. These drugs, however, were showing progress of shrinking the tumor in my head. But they had to take me off the drugs because my body could not take it. Miserable. So miserable. My kids would visit me. While they were in the hospital room doctors

Just four years ago Emily Dumler was living a happy and healthy life with her husband and three kids. Until one summer afternoon when Emily started to feel unwell, her sickness indeed up getting so bad that she checked into urgent care. From there no one could figure out what was wrong with her, and Emily had to stay in the hospital for forty three days, before it was realized that she indeed had cancer. Emily says, “Scott (her husband) and I were actually relieved to find out I had cancer because what I had been going through for the last forty three days was so rough and we wanted to find a treatment that could help me.

“’So what’s your story?’” she then then replies “’I already told you my story. I was diagnosed when-‘” He interrupts and says “’No, not your cancer story. Your story. Interests, hobbies, passions, etcetera… Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who becomes their disease. I know so many people like that. It’s disheartening. Like cancer is in the growth business, right? The taking-people-over business. But surely you haven’t let it succeed prematurely’” (Green, 32).

Imagine for a second. In the midst of your 30’s enjoying what life has to offer. After all those years of being in school and putting in the hard work, a dream job was finally achieved. Along with that, a spouse and a loving family is also given. Life may be challenging but it brings many rewards. It seems like a rollercoaster that never stops going up, life couldn’t get any better. However, happily ever afters aren’t always as they seem. At a regular doctor checkup, horrifying news is told. A brain tumor has been growing for who knows how many months and terminal brain cancer is diagnosed. The doctors say that life will end abruptly in 2-4 years, the process is slow and extremely painful. What are the options? People who are

Two years ago, my mother was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. During this time there were countless visits to the hospital. Typically, a visit would consist of shed tears and painful discussions about the next steps, but not this one. Before I set foot into my mother's room I heard the laughter of my oldest sister, Jojo, and chuckles

Everyone knows the disastrous effects cancer has on a person and their loved ones. Knowing that my mom was misdiagnosed, there could've been a moment when she may have still been here on Earth. During 2005, my mom noticed that something was wrong with her. This realization lead her to go seek a doctor at Lincoln hospital. During her examination, the doctors didn't noticed anything was wrong. After three years she went back again, and Dr. Max Ann examined my mother a second time,but this time he discovered that she had cancer. This

Introduction I. Attention-getter: “On New Year’s Day 2013, after months of suffering from unbearable headaches, your family member learned that they had brain cancer. This family member was 29 years old, just married over a year ago, and was hoping to start to build a family. Every day the lives of this couple involved hospital stays, doctor consultations and medical research” (Brittany Maynard). A. “Nine days after the initial diagnoses, your family member have a partial craniotomy and a partial resection of their temporal lobe, both an effort to stop the growth of the tumor growing inside their head” (Brittany Maynard). 1.

Summer of 2012, my grandfather was diagnosed with stage four Glioblastoma, and given only one year left to live. He had gone to have surgery earlier that week for the removal of his progressive tumor; his condition began to grow worse. The doctors got the tumor on the first try, but it was going to be a while before my grandfather felt back to normal. My family had many more trails and hardships to face in the near future.

Grams finally agreed with her family that it was time to get the cough checked out. Following an X-ray, the doctor diagnosed Grams with phenomena, and she was sent back home with antibiotics. A week later, the cough and back pain were only getting worse, so she went back in. The doctor proceeded with an MRI, and it revealed that a malignant cancer had originated in her lungs and had already spread into her spine. We had embarked on a journey that none of us were ready for. I wanted to put blame on the first doctor who failed to notice her cancerous symptoms. I often wonder to myself how he could have missed it. Would Grams still be alive if the first doctor found it? I truly don’t think so, but the question still perturbs me. Being the naïve child I was, I thought some chemo and radiation would do the trick. Grams followed through with the treatment, but the hospital stay and painful sickness was not how she wanted to live for the rest of her life. During this time, I quickly realized the severity and harsh reality of cancer. I admired my grandma’s strength and cordiality through all of this. She continued to joke around and her laugh, along with her spirit, failed to fade away. Her positive attitude helped our entire family to remain strong. Our family decided hospice would fit Grandma’s wishes, and Grams agreed with “It’s a

"You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have." Battling any kind of Cancer is rough. One of the most common cancer there are is a brain tumor. Brain tumors can change a persons life upside down because you have to battle something that inside of your own body.

Sitting across from the doctor’s desk, listening to him say the last three words no one ever imagined. You have cancer. The hard plastic chair and the atmosphere in the room suddenly feel colder as your body and mind go still. The doctor rambles on about the state of the condition, but nothing is absorbed. There is only one thing that needs answering. Is this curable? Cancer is a truly devastating verdict to be given and something no one is ready for. Every city, state, country, and continent in the world experiences great loss due to deaths from cancer. It does not discriminate between men and women, young or old, black or white. Dying from cancer is not how anyone would want

Due to the likelihood that my life may be compromised if I picked the surgery option, I decided to continue with taking medications, even though they were losing their effect and the doctors had no other ideas what to prescribe. Instead of worrying about the future and uncertainties, I wanted to achieve what I could do right now, and play the wild card. I couldn’t predict what my tumor decides to do to me. I was determined to take the plunge and make a calculated risk.

Many psychologists feel that psychological treatment is also a good way to teach patients how to endure their physical treatments. Many of these treatments present physical problems, but the treatments are almost more taxing on the mind. “Research clearly shows that unrelieved pain can slow recovery, create burdens for patients and their families and increase costs to the health care system.” (Rabasca, 1999). In overcoming anything whether it is a task for work, school or anything that can be physically and mentally draining like cancer, it is important to keep a strong mind and a positive outlook no matter how rough it is. Most patients of cancer are so far

It was almost 3 years ago that I found myself in a rather strange dilemma. I was bored with blogging and all the gimmicks that you had to do in order to be good at it. This concept did not work for me. I wanted something that inspired creativity in me and in others. So I started experimenting with posting cartoons, pop culture artwork, internet memes, and videos. Not only was I having fun, I was learning to curate content.