By: Alexander Haber, 34, Non Hodgkin Lymphoma

The year was 2020. I was getting ready to take time off of work to just relax and go to places I hadn’t ventured to in over a decade, zoos. That is when things began to change. Things began to shut down, my plans essentially gone. I began to experience what seemed like a bad cold. Night sweats, fluctuating fevers, weight loss, shortness of breath. Had gone to an urgent care as we weren’t sure what is causing it and if ! had gotten COVID without knowing it. They didn’t determine much and sent me home with a Tylenol.

It was actually my Gastroenterologist and PCP at the time who suggested I go get labs drawn. I will never forget the phone call.

I was having a little bit of food when she called me. She just said “I need you to pack some belongings and hurry to the ER immediately. I already called ahead, so they will be expecting you”. I spent the next 3 weeks in the hospital, running tests, reducing the fever, and the enlarged organs (Liver and spleen). Then came the day. Finally getting the answer to all the symptoms. “You have an aggressive type of Lymphoma,” said my Oncologist at the time. “But don’t worry, I have a plan to tackle this and get you better”.

I didn’t have the energy or time to panic and worry. Just look forward to leaving my wellbeing in their very capable hands. The next day, they inserted my best friend for the next year into my arm……the PICC line. The first chemo round began in intervals. The hospital became my on/off home away from home for several months while undergoing treatment.

Several months later, was the start of the transplant day. I would have to get one final round of chemo, some radiation and then be observed in the hospital in case of any reaction. I admit there was a moment where I could tell I was having a panic attack. After all, being stuck for almost a month can get to you. I felt like for a while, things could get back to normal, or so l thought.

Several months later, I had the unfortunate news that I had relapsed. I was given another form of chemo, but one that wasn’t as aggressive as the other one I was given. So no hair loss and other nauseous effects. Once I finished those rounds, I was given another kind of transplant, it being from the same donor as my first one. My only task for a while was getting the regular checkups and phlebotomy for a while due to the many transfusions I was given. There was a moment where I had developed cataracts in both eyes, but had since gotten them fixed.

Fast forward to the present. I have been trying to rebuild myself to a new norm. I have been working at my job for over a year now and just visit my new oncologist about twice a year.

But still do the regular checkups with the other doctors and specialists. While not working, I do play video games, solo or with friends. I do like to occasionally draw, something I didn’t do prior to the transplants. And when given a chance, use my camera for photos. And since that day of the closure of the parks, I have been back to the zoos plenty!