Cancer and in College

mritoch

Hi, 

I am new to the Cancer Survivors Network. I am indeed a cancer survivor...when I was four months old I was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a golf ball. I underwent many rounds of chemo, radiation, tens of surgeries, and a bone marrow transplant. I have probably gone through more, but many years later I just do not remember. 

I am battling cancer for a second time. I am now 20years old, and I was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma May '13, and am undergoing a clinical trial that will last a year. I am struggling more emotionally than physically because due to the cancer, I have to take a year off from college. I was supposed to be a junior this fall '13, and had expected to travel abroad to Scotland in the Spring of 2014. However, that is no longer the case. I will not be returning to my college (Smith College) for a year and it is eating me up inside. I want to return to my dorm with my friends...I want graduate with my class! Because of the cancer, I will be graduating with the class below mine...And it sucks. I want to celebrate graduation with the friends of my year, to know that we achieved our degree together. I do not want to be left behind...and that is what is going to happen. On top of that, I feel like I will lose the connections I made at my college with my professors, mentors, etc. I feel that when I return, it will not mean as much as it would if I could have stayed...because I would then become the girl who had to leave because of cancer. I wouldnt just be a normal student anymore. 

I was wondering if there is any person who has/has had a similiar story to mine. I need some advice to cope when trying to keep up with friends...to know that they are having fun or dying together in finals while I am at home, 3000 miles away, dealing with this stupid, inconvenient cancer. 

Thank you!

 

 

Lexilou15

i know exactly how u feel!

when i was 18 i had just finished my freshman year of college and when i came home for the summer i was diagnosed with stage 2a hodgkins lymphoma.  this meant chemotherapy and radiation and i wouldnt be returning to school in the fall. i was devastated! i ended up having to take 2 years off of school because after i fought my cancer the first time it came back three months later which meant more chemo and a stem cell transplant. it has been a years since my stem cell transplant and i am back at school now. it is really tough tho seeing all my friends and this is their senior year and i should be a senior too but i am only a sophomore. but u know what thats ok! i have life experience and a story to tell that most kids at my age wouldnt! i am not going to lie to u tho i am having some trouble adjusting to normal life again. as happy and ecstatic as i am to be back at school its scary because no one else understands what i am going through and when people hear that u took 2 years off school thats all they wanna hear and think that u chose that. but i promise u when it is all over u are going to be a stronger person and no one can take that away from u. me getting cancer made me super interested in biology! i started college as an education major now i am a biology major and i want to become an oncologist and work with people that have had blood cancers just like me!

Draginlady

Lexilou15 said:

i know exactly how u feel!

when i was 18 i had just finished my freshman year of college and when i came home for the summer i was diagnosed with stage 2a hodgkins lymphoma.  this meant chemotherapy and radiation and i wouldnt be returning to school in the fall. i was devastated! i ended up having to take 2 years off of school because after i fought my cancer the first time it came back three months later which meant more chemo and a stem cell transplant. it has been a years since my stem cell transplant and i am back at school now. it is really tough tho seeing all my friends and this is their senior year and i should be a senior too but i am only a sophomore. but u know what thats ok! i have life experience and a story to tell that most kids at my age wouldnt! i am not going to lie to u tho i am having some trouble adjusting to normal life again. as happy and ecstatic as i am to be back at school its scary because no one else understands what i am going through and when people hear that u took 2 years off school thats all they wanna hear and think that u chose that. but i promise u when it is all over u are going to be a stronger person and no one can take that away from u. me getting cancer made me super interested in biology! i started college as an education major now i am a biology major and i want to become an oncologist and work with people that have had blood cancers just like me!

What a wonderful response you

What a wonderful response you have written.  I am strengthened by your fight and your attitude.  What you have been through puts you miles ahead of all the other college students.  I am sure you will reach your goal and I wish you all of life's wonderful moments.

Jan

Draginlady

Good luck to you my dear. 

Good luck to you my dear.  You can and you will win this fight.  It has been handed to you for a reason....you may never find out why until much later in life.  Be brave, bold and possative.  This is merely a hicup for you and will make you a much stronger and wise young lady....trust me..I am running the miles with you and my arms are around you.

Jan