I Had Cancer & I Dont Know Where I Would Be Without It

This is not in any way a thankyou note to cancer, no one should ever have to suffer or watch someone else suffer from cancer, this is my story and how i've grown.

I was two years old when I was diagnosed with A.L.L. otherwise known as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, its a strange story of how my family and I found out but never the less its true. One day at day care I was playing and so were some other kids, I was hit in the mouth with a toy and busted my lip. My lip didnt stop bleeding, my mom was called and I was on my way to Vanderbilt. We weren't rushing to the emergency room or anything like that, we didn't really think it was that serious, we wanted to bandage my lip. Upon arriving they said it was minor and took some blood to test just in case. Vanderbilt is a 30-40 minute drive from my house; on the way home my mom was about to turn into our neighborhood when she got a phone call. Vanderbilt called... they said you need to rush Ally to the hospital now, she has cancer. I was hospitalized for thirty days and then released. I had Leukemia. It made since that my lip didnt stop bleeding because leukemia is cancer of the blood, my problem was I had too much sodium in my blood. Even now I suffer from this, I have migraines whenever i eat foods high in sodium, nitrates, or caffeine. I have to watch eating: ham, turkey, pepperoni, coffee, chocolate, and anything high in sodium or msg. I went through chemotherapy and was put on steroids eating six meals a day since my appetite had lessened. Fast forwarding 3 years...

I was announced cancer free!!!!

My make a wish was an all paid trip to disney world where my family and I stayed in a condo in The Village. By far one of the best experiences I have had; it was my first time flying, my first time riding in a limo, first time on vacation!, I was able to skip lines for rides, got to one on one meet princesses and characters, and everytime we went out and returned to the condo a small gift and not was left especially for me. I was five when I was cancer free, I visited disney world in april and was able to begin kindergarten like any other child by august!

Fast forwarding 2 years im seven and my oncologist is introducing me to a place that has forever changed my life, this was this first time I was hearing about a free camp called Camp Horizon. A place for cancer patients and survivors to go and connect for one week.

That's when I met these guys, the camp directors, they make everyone feel like family and break barriers. My camp hoizon journey had begun; it was weird at first I wasnt with family, I wasnt at home, they made me play wacky games and get involved, but I loved it and still look forward to camp each year like one would look forward to Christmas.

Camp Horizon is the place where I have met life long friends and can leave all worries behind. Each year beats the next and the minute you step foot off of camp is the minute you want to return.

Thanks for reading that concludes this post continue scolling to see memories from camp that I hold dear to my heart.