Kimberly's Story

When I was 16, I was diagnosed with Leukemia. They started the chemo right away. The chemo did nothing to get rid of my cancer. All it really did was make me sick, weak, and lose my hair.

About 3 weeks after they started the chemo, I was having this terrible pain in my stomach near my appendix. After x-rays and CT scans they discover that I had tefulitus (I think that's how you spell it). They tried a number of drugs but all they did was calm down the infection but not get rid of it.

Anyways...I needed emergency surgery to have 1/3 of my large intestines removed as well as my appendix. I have a mucous fistula as well as a Ileostomy because one day I will be put back together.

I had to have the surgery so that I could have a stem-cell transplant and go into remission from my cancer. Without this surgery I would have died and not been able to share my story.

Cancer as well as the Ileostomy have changed me for the better. I am not even 18 and more has happened to me in the past year than to anyone I know in their whole lives.

Today I am cancer free. Hopefully in February I will be put back together, but if not I have gotten used to my bag.

...Kimberly

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