I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 21 years old. Earlier this year, I started a new job as a hostess when I began experiencing pain in my right leg. At first, I assumed it was a shin splint, but the pain only worsened as time went on. The pain had become so bad I was convinced it had become a stress fracture. I went to the ER where they took an x-ray of my leg. The doctor noticed a mass that he believed to be some sort of bone cancer and advised further testing. I did not have a primary care doctor at the time which made getting referrals for testing/biopsy difficult. Seven different doctors told me with increasing certainty that they believed I had cancer, but there were still more tests to do to be certain. This continued for about three weeks and was one of the scariest parts of the whole experience as I knew I most likely had cancer but without a formal diagnosis, I couldn’t start treatment. Eventually, I was referred to a doctor who performed a biopsy on my leg on July 26, 2024. The biopsy confirmed the mass to be cancer and I was officially diagnosed with osteosarcoma a few weeks after my 21st birthday. Having an official cancer diagnosis was terrifying, but it was a confirmation of what I already knew and came as a form of relief. A diagnosis meant I could finally begin to fight. I began chemo on August 2nd and am currently a little over halfway through my treatment plan.
Alexandra’s LifeList:
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New MacBook Air