Teen dealing with leukemia. AMA

Is....is OP dead?

RIP Op "was a faggot"

What were your first signs that something was wrong?

Almost blacking out and the bad pain in my legs.

When I had pain in my legs and was almost blacking out

Is this the first AMA to make it to the front page without the OP answering any questions?

Sorry

What are you most scared of when it comes to dealing with the Leukemia?

Needles.

Hey man, I'm not sure whether this message will reach you or not but here goes.

Question: What did go through your mind when you were given your first chemotherapy?

I am 21 years old myself but have been dealing with the very same disease since the age of 16. I was diagnosed with ALL back in 2009. After three years of chemotherapy I was finally rid of my medication. 10 Months without any medication later I suffered a testicular relapse. According to my doctors I am the twelvth or thirtheenth person to suffer this condition worldwide. I have gone through chemotherapy, radiotherapy and have had a stem cell transplant. I am still recovering and still going to school (teacher training). I will send you a PM, just in case you don't read this message and will tell you the very same thing. Surround yourself with the people you love whenever possible, listen to your body. Come to terms with the fact that your mind WILL wander off and that it will lead you to dark places - do not hesitate to reach out for help. Pain and suffering are only temporary, giving up is permanent. If you ever need a chat, do let me know! I have a blog (mainly Dutch but already partly translated to English) about my situation since June 2013. Good luck and stay strong. You're not done with life, neither is it done with you. EDIT: Format

Thanks mate, it was mostly a holy shit moment and then after that I kind of just stared at a wall and processed everything.

What would be your opinion on a new cereal called leukemio's to spread awareness?

Will it come in honey nut?

Stay strong dude, I had non-hodgkins lymphoma. I had a port in my chest just over my heart but it wouldn't work right to I had a pick line also in right bicep. I spent my 21st birthday getting my first dose of chemo instead of out sky diving like I planned. I had a port in my head too that I still have a big scar from. Get as much rest as you can and try to stay as active as you can but don't over do it obviously. Rest and drinking lots of water is key. Going to get any radiation? Or bone marrow transplant?

No idea if i'll need radiation treatment or a bone marrow transplant.

I have no question? Just a lurker that registered just to post I hope all goes well and keep on keeping on man. YOU GOT THIS!

Thank you

Are you going to answer any question?

Maybe...

Are you aware that you're going to get through this? :)

Yeppers

Have you read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes? That book always got to me as a kid.

I hope your prognosis is positive.

Yes while in elementary my school made a thousand paper cranes and as a kid the art style and story really interested me.

Hello?

Hi

Might sound dumb, but have there been any positive changes in your life from the disease?

I got a cool hockey stick from a former NHLer so that's a positve

Just out of curiosity who was it?? :)

Aaron Asham

Hey OP. I just qualified as a paediatric nurse and have got my first job on a kids neurology ward, we often get teenagers in who have been diagnosed with brain tumours and come in to have them removed, then they get sent to Histopathology to see if they're malignant.

My question is: as a patient, what can I do for you to make your life easier, calmer, happier and less stressful as your nurse? What do we not do that you would like us to be doing?

Thanks!

Try and get the IV in on the first try. Also read the patient, if its a teenager who's just come out of a lumbar puncture and is tired try not to talk to him like a 3 year old

How do you feel about The Fault in Our Stars and how it represents people with cancer?

Loved the book, my cancer isn't terminal but I found that it was realistic on how they behaved.

In hopes OP will wake up soon: How long did you go from diagnosis to beginning treatment? I'm hate-watching Chasing Life on ABC Family, and it really bugs me how long she goes trying to ignore the fact that she has cancer, and not getting treatment.

A day.

Just so you know, I'm raising money for kids in your situation right now along with gamers all over the world.

I've raised $120 so far of a $500 goal to do my bit and I'm still raising money up until October 25th.

I hope you recover and live a long and happy life.

Thank you

Are you able to date? Hows your social life, and how does the cancer affect it?

I'm trying to get something started with a girl. My social life is pretty bland right now due to summer break, certain drugs and sometimes when I go into chemo can leave me tired and bitchy.

Not to be a dick, but normally proof pictures include your reddit handle and the date. Fishing for karma by using someone else's picture to pretend you have cancer is horrible, and I really hope no one would do that, but you'd have a better AMA with better proof.

Sorry, its just that I have family members that browse Reddit and I didn't want them to identify me until now

Have your treatments caused any side effects? I was diagnosed with ALL 5 years ago (as a teen) and through the whole ordeal, I had tons of different strange stuff happen, for example, Cortisone caused my blood sugar levels to rise to insane levels (the thingy I used to measure the blood sugar couldn't show how high my blood sugar was, it just said 'HIGH', and it showed any number up to 32.4 mmol/l). I also had the right side of my body get temporarily paralyzed due to hypersensitivity to Methotrexate.
I wish you the best and I'm sure that you get through this like a boss.

Don't know my exact medications but so far I have suffered bloating, depression, constipation,drop foot, weight loss, weight gain, throwing up and a whole lot more...

As weird as this sounds, you'll get used to most of those things, as they are a big part of the treatments. BUT WORRY NOT, I'm sure that a young person like yourself will pull through just fine.

Thank you.

What was your reaction when you found out?

Stared at a wall for a while and cried a little bit that night.

What is the hardest part about your situation?

Sorry if the question is vague, just think someone should post here. Stay strong and don't give up. Thank you for doing this, and if you need someone to talk to PM me anytime you would like.

The cancer itself is survivable but the medicine is literally toxic, and thanks.

How are you feeling right now, OP?

Could be better, but i'm mostly bored.

If op decides to respond to his own AMA then my question is: how do you deal with your immune system being on its arse? And how do you deal with the massive increase in risk of infection? My step brother currently has the same type of leukaemia and was diagnosed probably about 2 months ago. He spent over a month in hospital initially and since being released as an outpatient he's been readmitted twice for contracting illnesses.

Mostly stay away from public areas and wash more, no traveling.

What's your prognosis? I hear survival rates are pretty good these days.

Pretty good.

now exactly how much pot did you smoke?

1 whole marijuana officer

What's your general outlook on your prognosis, your future, and your situation in general? How have you been dealing with it?

Good and survivable. Getting back into my normal life before the treatment started.

Without trying to be tactless about it... Whats it like coping day to day, knowing things are gonna be tough for the foreseeable future? And also what keeps you going day in and day out, what gives you the motivation to keep fighting?

Friends and family motivate me to keep on fighting, day to day really sucks due to my inability to swallow medicine and having to crush it up.

What are you doing to keep a positive attitude? And hang in there and stay strong. My mom had cancer and I know what the treatment can do. I'll be pulling for you

Spending time with friends mostly and watching movies on netflix

Do you like cancer jokes?

Honestly yes...

Do you believe in a God? Are you religious? If so, have your religious beliefs helped in comforting you in any way?

No I don't believe in god.

ALL survivor here! I had the port instead of the pick. They let me keep it after my treatments, still have it in my medicine cupboard. How often are your rounds of chemo? And do you have to have radiation treatments along with it? I never had to but mine was also caught extremely early.

They caught mine early too, I get it once a week.

[deleted]

Sorry fell asleep

Does AMA and answers nothing.... where's the order!? Can someone flip a table for me!

(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻)

How did your friends find out and how did you go about telling them?

I didn't tell them but my teacher did, apparently one of them cried which was very touching. They've been more careful with me.

How are you doing?

Good, you?

Normally people get ports?

Shit must have changed since I got diagnosed, they told me when I asked about having to get a chest port that they normally only do ports in circumstances where there is severe vein damage from the chemo, or the veins are too weak to support constant abuse as the chemo will just straight fuck your veins over.

I have CML, a distant cousin to your cancer. You're in luck my young friend, the treatment options available to us these days are going to keep us walking long past our shelf life. I got diagnosed almost 7 years ago, been taking one pill a day and it keeps the cancer at bay.

Have they mentioned your treatment options yet?

When I had my port put in it dehissed after one week and got infected

Do you think it's been harder on you, or your family and friends? Also, hustle hard! Best of luck to you, kick cancer's ass!

Harder on my family

How are youre friends taking this news?

They threw a fundraiser and have been very supportive so far.

If you had one wish right now, besides curing yourself what would it be?

I honestly have no wish that I would want to complete this instance.

Probably to have a dune buggy or a quad

How did you find out about it? Did you feel ill for a while and went to see a doctor or what were the circumstances? Oh and keep strong!

Had major leg pain and almost blacking out while getting up.

Howdy OP, I noticed in one of your comments that you may have to get a bone marrow transplant. My dad was diagnosed with the same type of Leukemia last year a week before Christmas. I gave him my bone marrow and he's doing extremely well. If your wondering about how the transplant process feels or how it goes down I could ask my dad to give you some insight. Do you happen to have any questions on the bone marrow transplant preparations, the transplant itself, or how you will feel afterwards?

No questions but thanks for offering!

Has your Leukemia made it harder to fap?

No

A person in my grade (senior in high school) was just diagnosed with leukemia (not sure if you're the same person...) But what can we do as a class to help him?

Start a fundraiser, treatment can be very expensive with gas costs, food and buying expensive gadgets to keep your mind off things