By Timeka Phillips
I moved to Texas in 2010 after earning my
M.S. in Psychology. However, in 2011 I
enrolled in a 2nd Masters program in
Cybersecurity to change my career. A year
into my program I began to start feeling really
ill with non-stop headaches. Over a 9 month
period, I went to several doctors and
specialists. They all said, “It is stress” due to
my work environment, additional job duties,
and being in graduate school full time. In late
August 2012, a colleague suggested I get a
blood test, and when I did the doctor said my
blood count was a five. I was admitted into
the hospital, received a blood transfusion, and
found out I had Hemolytic Anemia and Stage
3 Multiple Myeloma, a blood cancer, which
was over 90% of my body.
This all happened two weeks before my
33rd birthday, and I began chemotherapy a
few weeks later. On October 24th I was being
drilled out my apartment by the fire marshal
because I had been passed out for 3 days. I
was found unclothed on the sofa with a blood
count of 4.2., and the shower curtain/rod
pulled down. It was said had I not been found
I would have been dead within the next 12
hours. I was rushed to the hospital and
opened my eyes two days later while in the
ICU. I began dialysis on October 31st because I
had no kidney function.
In the hospital, I learned to walk again, and
did breathing exercises due to a partially
collapsed lung. I suffered short term memory
loss, and when I got home 3-4 weeks later I
couldn’t even figure out how to fill my own
pill box or order a sandwich from McDonald’s
due to the kidney issues, I just stood there
with tears in my eyes due to the
embarrassment. I was so stressed and
overwhelmed. I had to depend on others but
at some point some became unreliable. I
eventually asked my neighbor to back my car
out of my parking space and re-taught myself
how to drive.
Two weeks before Christmas I was taken off
dialysis. Then received my stem cell
transplant at MD Anderson on Friday,
September 13, 2013! As of March 18, 2014, I’m
in REMISSION, but on maintenance
medication for the next few years. It was
nothing but the blood of Jesus that covered
me those three days in that apartment. I
literally felt my body shutting down. At least I
don’t look like what I’ve been through! I had
and have haters that said I was not going to
make it, but no one determines my fate but
God. I continue to rely on my faith, pray,
participate in social and volunteer activities,
and exercise when I have energy. I try to
surround myself around only positive people
that will not cause me stress.
I don’t share my story for sympathy. I do it
for the non-believers, those that are suffering
from diminished faith and can’t see the light
at the end of the tunnel, and for those that
have strong faith so it can stay that way.
Sometimes I feel repetitive in telling my story,
but you never know who you will help along
the way. It may just reach that person that is
about to give up, that person who has lost
faith, the 24/7 & 365 days a year pessimistic
and complainer. Yes, there are good days and
bad days (mental, physical, emotional), but
once you are over that hurdle from a bad day
or a few bad days you must dust yourself off
and take advantage of every good day you
have. I could sit around and be clinically
depressed, angry, and pessimistic all the time,
but I will not be defeated by the enemy!
Everyone has a purpose in life, and I have
decided to take a negative situation and turn
it into a positive because God has directed me
on a different path. This includes raising
awareness about blood cancer through my
blog, being a mentor, sharing my story, and
whatever else God tells me to do. I
believe God gives his hardest battles to His
strongest soldiers, but with Him you will
make it through this fight so DON’T GIVE UP!
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