Wishes In Waiting

Fighting B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia

WISH: A family trip somewhere; to relax and feel at ease; away from medical treatment.
I was a very active person; I would help others in need. Because I am Hispanic I would help other families by taking them to appointments and providing transportation. I was also working and going to school at Pitt Community College. I would travel and go places on the weekend for more exposure to different places.


Things have completely changed. I am no longer active; at all. I can't even walk for 30 minutes. I also am very fatigued due to my blood counts. I am no longer working or going to school. I am fatigued and have body aches. It sometimes hurts to move. I am no longer able to eat like I used to. Everything has changed.

Fighting Brain Cancer

WISH: Trip to Nashville would be great because I love country music.
Prior to being diagnosed my life was normal; I was going to school at Pitt Community College and working. My life was not filled with medical appointments. Currently my life is filled with doctor/medical appointments.

Fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

WISH: Trip out west to get in touch with nature, fresh air, and peace.
In high school I was active in football, bowling and tennis. After graduation, I continued my education at Bowling Green State University where I was majoring in Aviation to become a pilot. Over summer break, I obtained a job doing construction. While doing a concrete job, I noticed that I was getting unusually tired and started having pain in my back. Over the next couple of days, I began to feel ill and thought I may have COVID. On September 11, 2021 around 3:00AM, I woke up to sever back pain and I knew something was wrong. My roommate took me to the ER where they did extensive blood work to conclude that I either had Leukemia or Lymphoma. They sent me The James and The Ohio State University hospital where it was confirmed that I had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. We requested to be transferred to Nationwide Children's Hospital for medical management.


The news hit me and my family very hard as would be expected. Everything changed on that day. I left my apartment and moved back home, and due to being immunocompromised during a pandemic, I became very isolated. I have spent much time in the hospital due to complications of blood clot at my port site, mediastinal pneumo, anaphylaxis from one of the chemo medications, inability to clear the high-dose methotrexate out of my body, weight loss due to the extreme vomiting, multiple blood transfusions, allergic reaction to the blood products, spinal taps with intrathecal chemo, and the appendicitis (with the additional diagnosis of a different type of malignant tumor), it was extremely taxing on all of us. My mom had to administer blood thinner injections twice a day for about a year, and, due to the anaphylaxis, the medical team had to replace each IV pegasparagenas dose with 12 intramuscular injections (2 injections every other day) in my thighs (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, for 2 weeks) for which we had to drive to the hospital to get. I think this totaled up to be 36 trips and 72 injections. I went from a strong 225 lbs (when I first sensed something wasn't feeling right) to165.


After 2 years and 3 months of being in treatment and my life being on hold, I am finally starting to feel a little more like myself. I am working to improve my endurance and strength but I know it is going to take some time. I am so grateful to have had the support of my immediate and extended family, friends and medical team at Nationwide Children's Hospital throughout this journey.


Going through all of this has given me a different perspective on the fragility of life. I am currently re-evaluating my educational goals to seek clarity regarding a career that will better serve my purpose in life.

Fighting Osteosarcoma

WISH: Trip with family to somehow show my appreciation to them.
I worked as a plumber and remodeled a house. I was able to and enjoyed physical labor jobs and worked very often. I enjoyed working on the farm with my father in law as well.


Now that I have been diagnosed, I have lost many of the activities I enjoy due to physical inability and weakness from chemo. I am not allowed to work in plumbing currently due to the hazard it can cause my immune system, as well as it being physically straining on my body. I was unable to finish my house, so I am currently living in an unfinished house until I can hopefully finish it when I regain my strength and mobility.

fighting Round Cell Sarcoma

WISH: Meet Tyler Perry
Well , Before my life was normal , a normal Hi Jay how was your day at school today from my mom and my response would be all of the excitement from that entire school day , I've had many Fun arts and drama classes that really captured my heart I'm actually a member of JC Casablanca's my parents actually put me in acting classes , Tyson Beckford actually gave me an acting approval but of course he said I was no model (I guess Mr. Beckford couldn't stand the competition I come with LOL) , I used to even go on boat rides with my Family and girlfriend we use to just be able to frolic and play on our property with not one concern. I worked proudly to support myself at the age of 18. I fought to graduate with honors and without any downtime committed to enrolling in college the following semester... now we're here but things are looking up!!!

What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
I would love to meet Tyler Perry!

fighting Pseudomyogenic Hemangioendothelioma

WISH: LA Chargers
Before being diagnosed, I was a senior computer science student at the University of Maryland, College Park. I was very active: I loved to go to the gym, take walks on campus and go out with my friends. I was on track to graduate in the spring 2024 semester; however, I must take a gap semester or two to ensure I am 100% healthy to finish my college degree strong! When I was diagnosed, I was in the middle of my semester. I was in a considerable amount of pain, due to the fact that the cancer was on my foot. I was constantly seeing doctors, receiving various scans, and feeling uncertain, all while completing my semester! Through the help of my support system, I completed my semester strong. I recently had a below the knee amputation to dispel the cancer in my foot, and will be undergoing oral chemotherapy soon to take care of potential cancer cells that made its way in my lungs. Thus, I've been taking it easy, and resting most days.
What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
The wish I am thinking about is being able to attend an LA Chargers regular season home game. I hope to be able to meet some of the players, and possibly sit closest to the field. I have this wish in mind because ever since I was a kid I have been a chargers fan! I've never been to an NFL game either, so this would be my first time as well!

fighting B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

WISH: Neymar Jr.
My name is Mateo and I am originally from Ecuador. I am currently living in the US with my father, step-mother, and half-sister. In 2019 I was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and received 2-years of chemotherapy treatment. I had been off of chemotherapy a little over a year when I found out that I had relapsed. I was hospitalized 2/7/2024 and am currently still in the hospital. I will need to get a stem cell transplant due to my relapse.

I was working as a soccer coach before my relapse and unfortunately cannot work right now. I hope to get back to coaching once I am out of the hospital.

What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
I have dreamed about meeting Neymar Jr. since I was 10-years-old. He has come to the US to play but I have not been able to watch him play because the tickets were too expensive. It would be great to get to meet him or to watch him play. It would even be great to get a video from him or to get some signed memorabilia. Thank you so much for considering my wish.

fighting Grandulosa Cell Tumor of Ovary

WISH: Disneyland
I graduated high school in June of 2023. I had so many plans. It started with my summer job. I worked as a camp counselor to underprivileged children at a Salvation Army Camp. It was to be the first time I lived away from home. I was nervous but very excited. People came from all over the world to work here. Here I was, having the best summer of my life. The weeks were spent working and building the kingdom of God. The weekends were about my friends and family. I would go on hiking adventures with my new found friends. We spent way too many hours at the beach laughing till we cried. I was sad to see summer go but new adventures awaited. I started college at Fresno City College. I am a biology major with plans on one day going to med school. It had been my dream since I was a kid. I had the great privilege to play water polo there. This was going to be my season. I started strong! Classes were going well, I loved learning about science and math. I sat in the front row and it seemed like I was the only one to laugh at the teacher's jokes. I love science. Water Polo was challenging and I learned new positions. For the first time in my life I played goalie. I am so proud of the player I was becoming. It all changed in a moment. I had been having pain in my abdomen but I'm an athlete and I endure. I had changed my diet, lost weight and was at a physical peak. I went in for a checkup. That's all, just a simple checkup. My life changed in a matter of hours.

I've tried to be positive but the physical aspects of chemotherapy were overwhelming. I had all these plans. This was not supposed to be my life. I had to drop out of college because I could no longer attend classes. The hardest thing was I had to say goodbye to playing water polo. It was devastating! After being diagnosed, my life became doctor visits and hospital stays. I was so sick, nausea left me crippled and unable to function. Some days I would be released from the hospital, just to return a day or two later. I became withdrawn from my friends and a family. I hated the the way I looked. At one point I was crying nonstop, everyday. I no longer saw a future. How was I supposed to move forward? I struggled to communicate my despair.

Today, I've completed my last treatment and am waiting for my scans. I still have a lot of questions. How do I move forward? How do I trust my body? Some days are harder than others. I've started to set small goals. I've started to hang out with my friends and family again. Other days I struggle with thinking and walking. I know it will get better. Or at least that is what everyone says.

What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
I have always loved Disneyland. We used to go there every week when I was little. I must have owned every princess dress. My mom would doll me and my siblings up and off so we went on an adventure. By all means we were a Disney family. It has always been such a wonderful place for me and my family. I think that's why I wish to go to Disneyland. I remember a time we would go to Goofy's Kitchen and dance with the characters (for every birthday). We would eat all the snacks we could. We would play games while we stood in line. I was always so excited to see the parade. I know every song and movie. Afterall, I dreamed of being a princess.

fighting ALL

WISH: Vacation
Shir is a 24yr female who was working in a law office in admin and dating her boyfriend prior to her diagnosis. Since her diagnosis, she has lost her job and has had many life changes. She has had to have a Bone Marrow Transplant and is now very dependent on family - which is contrast to her previous independence.

What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
Vacation with her boyfriend to help her heal mentally. She is experiencing a mental exhaustion from her treatment and transplant

fighting Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

WISH: Maui
I am a freshman at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. My major is education, and I want to be a middle school math teacher. My passion is hanging out with and mentoring Christian teen girls.

While at school, my favorite activities to do were camping out on the school field to get the best seats for GCU basketball games. I love country swing dancing, and I was a part of a country swing dancing club called American Kids. I also enjoyed attending worship nights and bible studies with my friends on campus.

I was very active before my diagnosis. I loved to go hiking and cliff jumping. I also have the bug for travel and was signed up this summer to be a part of a mission trip to serve in Spain teaching English to kids and telling them about Jesus. Additionally, I volunteered at a local soup kitchen called St. Vincent's as well as participated in a program called Canyon Kids where I mentored local low-income kids. As you can see I am very social and love being around people and making friends.

I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma when I came home for Christmas break. I thought I was sick and went to urgent care where they prescribed me antibiotics for a sinus infection. However, I didn't get better, I got worse. My lymph nodes in my neck and armpits started to swell and my face was swollen twice its size. I also had shortness of breath. The doctors kept saying I had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics but after three weeks of worsening symptoms, they finally did a chest x-ray and found a tumor pressing on the main artery to my heart. I was admitted to the hospital immediately and after many biopsies and CT scans, I was diagnosed.

Since my diagnosis, my life has been put on hold. I am unable to go back to school as I needed to start chemo immediately. Every 3 weeks I go to the hospital to receive chemo for 5 days. Then I have 2 weeks to recover my counts. My treatment will consist of 6-8 chemo sessions. I am now immunosuppressant so I am not allowed to be in large crowds of people. I can have a few friends come to my house to see me as long as they wear a mask and we social distance ourselves. Since my chemo treatment, my hair has fallen out and I am very weak. I don't have the energy that a normal 18-year-old has. I spend my days sleeping a lot and going to clinic appointments. It has been hard to stay positive as sometimes I feel like I am stuck in this cancer prison.

My family has been my rock! My mom took a leave of absence from her job to care for me and transport me back and forth for my appointments. She even sleeps on an air mattress on the floor while I am in the hospital during treatment. My dad and younger brothers provide me with comic relief, especially about my bald head. My strong faith in God is getting me through this difficult diagnosis. My church family and community have been amazing at surrounding me with love, support, dinners, cookies, and anything I need.

Even though my life is not what I want it to be right now I am trying to remember that there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Through this process I am learning that you don't know how strong you are until you have no other choice than to be strong.

What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
My wish is for my family and I to go on a trip to Maui. I want my family to go on this trip with me because they are walking this cancer journey with me. My brothers have had to sacrifice sports and activities because my parents were busy in the hospital with me. My mom has had to take a leave of absence from her job and my parents have been my biggest support. This trip would give us all something to look forward to once my treatment is over.

fighting Leukemia APL

WISH: Hawaii
I am the oldest of three girls. I was ready to go off to college and pursue my degree in nurse practitioner. I was very excited since I was going to be the first in my family to go to college and it has been my mothers dream to see me succeed in life. She pushed me day and night to educate myself since she was not able to go to college herself. My mother helped me see how caring I am and how much I would be able to help others since both of my parents come from immigrant families. I then decided to apply for FASFA and they were able to help me financially. I was ready to start my new chapter in life when on September 1st of 2023 after a regular follow up appointment I got the worse news in my life. I was diagnosed with leukemia. I was then rushed to Seattle's Childrens Hospital. It was at first unknown what kind of leukemia until after days of lab work, I was diagnosed with Leukemia APL. I was informed I would have to stay in the hospital for a unknown time. That my life that I had known and had planned would never be the same again and that everything would have to be put on hold. I had to leave my whole family behind and only my mom was going to be on my side. It was really difficult because I then realized how ill I was. I was suffering from pain and medication side effects. It was one month as inpatient yet it seemed a eternity. During the time at the hospital I could not avoid getting depressed because my whole life changed and I found myself fighting for my life. It has been hard to think that I am not able to go to college until I am done with this chapter in my life. I had to change my focus and try to find positive things in all this situation. For example I am now grateful I went to the doctor when I did. That I am thankful that the doctors were able to save my life and that I will eventually be able to pick up where I left from. I am know half ways in the treatment. I look forward eating and drinking simple things I am now not able to, for example sunnyside up eggs. A good cup of coffee sounds amazing. I now have a second chance to life and I will follow my dreams and I will work very hard to become a nurse practitioner since I now know how it feels to be a patient in need of care. I will forever be thankful for all the support I have received from Seattle's Childrens Hospital staff, social works, and family.

What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
I have a wish to go with my whole family to Hawaii.

fighting Brain tumor

WISH: Star Wars at Disney
My cancer has come back multiple times. I am disabled I have a lot of problems like loss balance, double vision PTSD and WHITE COAT syndrome . I have been through 30 surgeries done chemotherapy back to back and radiation treatment. Through all that I still kept my head up and had a lot of faith in God because I am a mighty warrior of God. Always and will be positive no matter how bad things get, cancer won't break me. I fight for all my brothers fighting cancer.

What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
I live and die for the star wars and Disney is my childhood and I've always wanted to go to Disneyland and go see galaxy edge I want to make my own r2d2 and lightsaber and take a picture with all my favorite characters it's been my dream and because of cancer I haven't been able to anything

fighting Germ Cell Cancer

When I first got diagnosed when I was you ger life just seemed to fly by I knew I had cancer but i didn't know I had it as severe as I did to me I was still able to play and be so what of a normal kid as I got older it was all a blur. This time around being 18 it felt like someone put me in jail. My whole life stopped literally. I had to quickly plan around finals and think about next school semester while all I feel the need to do is sleep. Regardless of my disappointment I try to remind myself of all the love and support I am blessed to have in my life and that with the help of God all get through this with patience and strength.
What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
Either or I love to experience life through events but also a gift is something I will always be grateful for! Both way I would be absolutely thankful even just getting the opportunity

fighting Hodgkin's Lymphoma

WISH: Undecided
Before treatment I was a normal high schooler. Now, I am in the hospital often and due to the transplant, I can not go to many places. I would like to rent a movie theatre for a private screening of a movie with family and friends

fighting Osteosrcoma

I was a normal teen, active in High School football. I graduated with honors and was planning my future. I loved working as a Heavy Equipment Operator. It provided me the independence every 18yr old craves. I was well on my way into my "real life" beginning adulthood phase.
Then "real life" hit me in a way I never expected, cancer. I have felt every emotion possible; scared I'm going to die, angry it's happening to me, jealous of my friends starting their lives, careers and college, while my life is stuck in neutral. I have emotions that I didn't expect; appreciation of the love of my friends & family, humor where you least expect it & an inner strength I didn't know I possessed. There are truly great things that can be found during our darkest times.

fighting Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma

I had kidney issues since I was 7 yrs old. College was essentially the first time I was able to go to school and build a life. Now I have to give myself up to the hospital once again. I really had to grow up all over, re-access my mental health, emotional, and spiritual health as I'm going through this. I've changed in such a short amount of time that it surprised me, but I'm going through this knowing I can, without losing myself. It truly is a difficult journey, but one I am not stepping down from.

fighting Rhabdomyosarcoma

WISH: I'm hoping Nik's wish can find an artist who can help me with a book I'm writing. I need someone familiar with the Japanese Manga style of art. It's been a dream of mine to write something in this style. I have the story however Manga is all illustration.

I graduated high school with a 4.0 average, and quite a few college credits. I was accepted into R.I.T. and studied video game design and development. I was in my senior year with only 4 classes left for graduation when I was rushed to the hospital again by ambulance. The cancer was in my heart. I was all alone in Rochester, NY, 8 hours from home. I had to call my mom and give her the news. It was devastating. My mom flew up to be by my side. She's been through all of this with me. I call her " my Rock".
Unfortunately, cancer stole my college degree and diploma. I was granted an Honorary Degree but it is not the same. I worked so hard, I missed my home, my dog, my mom, and my friends. I got to attend graduation but I don't have a diploma. Cancer has stolen so much from me and now it's taken away my right to call myself a college graduate.
Now I've been diagnosed with brain cancer. I had 1 tumor surgically removed and I still have 1 in my brain. I was diagnosed with cancer in my abdomen. At this time I am fighting cancer in 3 different areas of my body. I've suffered many complications, had many surgeries, and so much radiation that I probably glow in the dark. I wish I could say I made it to the other side of cancer, but I can't. I'm in treatment, and in spite of it all I'm ok, not great, but ok.

fighting Desmoplastic small round cell sarcoma

WISH: I would love to meet Tyler Perry!
Well , Before my life was normal , a normal Hi Jay how was your day at school today from my mom and my response would be all of the excitement from that entire school day , I've had many Fun arts and drama classes that really captured my heart I'm actually a member of JC Casablanca's my parents actually put me in acting classes , Tyson Beckford actually gave me an acting approval but of course he said I was no model (I guess Mr. Beckford couldn't stand the competition I come with LOL) , I used to even go on boat rides with my Family and girlfriend we use to just be able to frolic and play on our property with not one concern. I worked proudly to support myself at the age of 18 I fought to graduated with honors and without any downtime committed to enrolling in college the following semester... now we're here but things are looking up!!!

fighting Sarcoma

WISH: One of my dreams is to go to New York, because I like it a lot, another is to meet Stephen Curry or go see the Golden State Warriors in a game because Curry is my idol to follow since I started playing basketball and the warriors are my fav team and my last dream is to be a streamer like my idols on Twitch, Youtube, which in that case I would have to buy several things to put together a whole setup to stream like them.

Before I went out with my friends and my brother to play soccer and basketball, my brother and l used to exercise together, also at night we went out as a family to dinner restaurants, every weekend we went to the park, now I still do a few things like go to the park, go to eat at restaurants and watch movies together, from time to time we play board games as a family.

fighting Metastatic Colorectal cancer

WISH: I was diagnosed with cancer my sophomore year of nursing school. I was also on the swim team at the time. I underwent treatment, but have been diagnosed and undergone treatment three times. Each diagnosis was very difficult, but I have been very privileged to not have to put my life completely on pause during my treatments and have been able to graduate and begin my career as a nurse.

I would like to go to Hawai'i island and visit Hawai'i volcano national park. My top item on my bucket list is to visit all the national parks and I have been slowly checking them off my bucket list over the years. Getting to visit the volcanoes would be a life changing experience and I'm very excited to potentially have the opportunity to visit. Additionally, I no longer live with my immediate family. I currently live with my partner. I was hoping to go on this trip with my partner and my 2 sisters. Thank you for your consideration!

fighting Hepatoblastoma

WISH: When I was a kid, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. I tried out many different hobbies such as karate, BMX, drumming, tennis and fencing, but the one that always stuck with me was airplanes. I built and flew model planes, made every school assignment I could about them, and researched from the Wright brothers up to the present about anything that graced the skies.
During my last year of high school, I decided I needed to do something with airplanes. I started looking into colleges and flight schools, but I didn't have any money. My family wasn't poor, but I knew I'd need to take out loans if I wanted further education. So I turned my attention to the military. There are plenty of military programs to pay for school, but I had also grown tired of studying and doing schoolwork at this point. I just wanted to do something with my life. My family has a rich military history, and I loved the idea of serving my country, protecting my loved ones, and traveling the world, not to mention free school, so the Air Force was an obvious choice.
When I enlisted, I didn't care which job they gave me as long as it had something to do with airplanes, but I wouldn't find out my assignment until I completed basic training. When I found out I'd be working on F-16 fighter jets, my favorite out of all modern aircraft, it was like a dream come true.
Throughout training I got to learn about the inner workings of the most badass plane to ever exist. At my first duty station, Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, I fell in love with the fast paced, high stress, lives on the line job that is being a Crew Chief. We inspect the jets, make sure they're safe to fly, and fix any problems that arise on the ground or in flight. I grew to love the hard work, long days, and punishing maintenance, as well as lifting weights after work, doing my best to be as healthy and strong as I could.
At my second duty station in Spangdahlem, Germany, I was finally able to start traveling. Sometimes for pleasure, but mostly on the Air Force's dime. I went to Romania, Portugal, France, Iceland, and many more places, the whole time honing my skills to be the best I could be. In Portugal this was recognized and I was given the opportunity to fly in the back seat of one of our jets. I still look back fondly on that as the best day of my life. Another dream came true, and this time it wasn't by chance, I had earned it.
I kept working hard and seizing every opportunity offered to me, the most recent being a trip to Iceland. We worked hard, but also took time to explore the island, seeing a ton of cool places and spending time with my friends who had grown to be more of a family. During the last three days of the trip, we were packing up our equipment and getting ready to get ourselves and the jets back home to Germany. I noticed a pain in my side similar to a runner's stitch, but I had a job to do and I couldn't afford to look weak. Over the next few days this pain in my side grew until it was almost unbearable.
The night we got back to Germany I went straight to the ER, which was luckily only a couple blocks from my apartment. They did an ultrasound of my abdomen, after which they determined something was wrong with my liver and asked me to come back the next day for more tests. Another ultrasound and an MRI later, I was informed I have a giant tumor on my liver about 11 cm in diameter. When I called my mom to tell her, she immediately booked a flight all the way from Wisconsin. During the weekend the hospital held me, my good friend, mentor, and supervisor, SSgt Cole McGriff came to visit me every night. He would bring me sushi and other meals and kept me company well past visiting hours.
When my mom arrived, we had a consultation with a surgeon who explained where my tumor was and what his plan would be to remove it. From there, we decided to get a second opinion at Landstuhl Army Hospital, where they referred us to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Sergeant McGriff gave us a ride back to Landstuhl a few days later, where we then bussed to Ramstein Air Base to take a C-17 all the way to Maryland where WRNMMC is.
At Walter Reed, I received another battery of tests, scans, and evaluations. My surgeon, Dr. Jamie Robinson, and her team came up with a surgical plan to remove the tumor along with about 70% of my liver. The liver would regrow, and I'd be cancer free in just a few weeks. The surgery went smoothly, and I was out of the hospital in 3 days. At this point my dad had taken time off work and came to Maryland to be with me and my mom. He helped me walk up and down the halls of the room we were given, in and out of the car, and even showering.
My incision stretched from my sternum all the way down and around to my right hip, with 64 staples holding me together. The recovery was painful, it was hard to sleep at night, and the pain meds I was prescribed gave me a foggy feeling I disliked, but hey I had beaten cancer, and that was worth all the pain and suffering. I still had about 6 weeks of recovery time left, the oncologist said chemo is rarely effective against this type of cancer, and we got clear margins during the surgery anyway, so I petitioned to go home to Wisconsin to finish out recovery, then go back to Germany when I was clear to do so.
Fast forward 5 weeks and I'm getting ready to get back to my life, when the phone rings. I answered it to hear my oncologist on the other end telling me that they were wrong about which type of cancer I had, and that I should start chemo right away to make sure it doesn't come back. He wanted me to come back to Maryland for 6 months of treatments, to which I responded "Absolutely not." The university hospital near me and is fantastic and nationally ranked at treating cancer, not to mention the multiple studies that show better survival rates for patients with support systems. I would not leave my family. Thankfully the Air Force was sympathetic and let me stay here. The team at WRNMMC sent all my files over to UW Children's Hospital because my tumor is generally seen in babies, so the adult hospital isn't as well equipped to deal with it.
I met with the team at UWAFCH, who is absolutely amazing and headed by my oncologist, Dr. Therese Woodring. She explained how the treatments would work, that I needed an implant called a "port" to administer it, and reassured us about the whole process. I was never worried for a second, I had already beaten cancer and this was just a precaution to ensure it doesn't come back. I'm a strong guy mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, but nothing could have prepared me for the gut punch that was Dr. Woodring explaining to me that the cancer is not only already back in my liver just 7 weeks after resection, but that it's spread to my lungs as well. For the first time, cancer started fighting back. The chemo wasn't a precaution anymore, it along with a complete liver transplant and resection of the nodules in my lungs is my only chance at survival.
Chemotherapy, for lack of a better word, sucks. It's harder than I could have ever imagined. The treatment started with a cycle of once a week for 3 weeks, followed by one week of rest. Every week I was bombarded with fatigue, weakness, headaches, and worst of all nausea. I had plenty of medicine for it, but it never fully went away. I felt like I couldn't eat anything, but it only got worse when my stomach was empty, so I forced myself to eat. The days of and following my treatments are excruciating, but those that are manageable I do everything to make the most of. I host shooting days in my backyard, invite family and friends to dinners, and play lots of Magic: The Gathering.
After the first 3 months of treatments the cycles ease up a bit, to one treatment every 3 weeks, but now there are some new side effects, the worst of which is numbness in my hands and feet. The chemo is working according to my scans, and eventually it's time to get back under the knife to take care of my lungs. The liver transplant team won't operate on me until my lungs have been clear of disease for 6 months. The thought of another 2 surgeries is daunting, but I know it must be done, so I grit my teeth and push onward.
The lung surgery was less invasive than the liver one, but chest tubes are awful. It hurt to breathe, and my ribs are still recovering from the tubes rubbing against them. I get out of the hospital in 3 days, just in time for the 4th of July. Once again, during my recovery I get a phone call, only this time it's from Dr. Woodring. I brace myself for more bad news, but as she tells me the pathology report following my lung surgery shows no signs of cancer, I race downstairs to my mom and have Dr. Woodring repeat the whole thing. Finally, something is going right. Now there's potential to do the liver transplant sooner than expected.
Currently I'm waiting for the transplant team to review my case again and get back to me. My future is still very uncertain, and I don't know if I can ever go back to the life I came from, but I'm of the opinion that the only way to get stronger is to do stuff that sucks. This battle is just another opportunity for me to overcome a challenge, grow, learn, persevere, and get stronger. I've never gone down without a fight, and nothing has ever kept me down for long. I don't intend to change that anytime soon. I'm making cancer my bitch, and I can't thank my friends, family, and girlfriend enough for being there to support me through it.


What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?
I have been playing Magic for almost 15 years. It's always been a great way for me to blow off steam and hang out with my friends and share some hilarious moments. Throughout this journey, magic has been my main respite from the chemo and has tremendously helped my mental stability. The guys I have met through it are incredibly supportive and make me forget I have cancer at times when we're gaming. My favorite youtube channel, The Command Zone has a gameplay series where they invite different guests onto the show to play on camera to publish the games. It would be super fun just to hang out with that team, get to know everyone and play magic with people who share my love and passion for the game, but my wish is to play magic on Game Knights with Jimmy Wong, Josh Lee Kwai, and my favorite streamer Kenji Egashira.

fighting Acute Myeloid Leukemia

WISH: Before the diagnosis I was a normal young adult. I had just moved out on my own and had my very first place. I was independent and was working to support myself. I enjoyed hanging out with my friends, my family and going to church. I really enjoyed having the time with my sisters, going to our favorite restaurants and just riding around.
What Nik's wish are you thinking about and why?

A trip to the beach with my family. Going through this illness has made me appreciate my family and how precious life is.