Do you remember what life was like when you were 22? It was likely filled with carefree moments spent with friends and family, studying for finals and feeling like you had the world at your feet. For me, 22 was exactly like that…until it all came to a screeching halt.  

 I found out that I had cancer a few months shy of my 22nd birthday. I was getting ready to go to work when I noticed a hard lump nuzzled between my chin and neck. Initially I was puzzled but shrugged it off as something that would go away on its own. As days turned into weeks, I noticed the lump growing, becoming uncomfortable and noticeable. The entire left side of my neck had started to swell and harden.   

 I knew this wasn’t something I could ignore anymore, but I was too afraid to go to the doctor for fear of what he might tell me. Despite my fear, I made an appointment with my primary care doctor. Little did I know this would start a wave of appointments, tests and sessions for years to come.  

It was confirmed that I had stage II Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a blood cancer that is most often found among very young and very old people.   

Despite my initially positive prognosis, the tumors were relentless even after eight rounds of chemotherapy, and I was encouraged to undergo radiation, more chemotherapy and finally a stem cell transplant. Nothing could’ve prepared me for the physical pain, isolation and tremendous loss that cancer brings when it enters your life like an uninvited guest. Loss of autonomy, loss of feeling carefree, loss of time, hair loss.  

I was working as a makeup artist and taking a few classes at a local community college when this all occurred. My family and I were nowhere near equipped financially to be able to pay for the bills that accumulated from treatment. I put school on the back burner and took a long leave of absence from work, making the path to my future look bleak.

Life as I knew it was postponed. I kept my solitary days busy by going on walks, painting, and scrolling through social media, dreaming of when I’d be able to resume the life my friends were living. The daydream of being carefree again comforted me and kept hope alive.   

 I’ve been in remission for years now, and I can say I’m grateful to have had a second chance at life, one that I savor every moment. I’m grateful for every breath, every opportunity, every step I take. I don’t know if I’d be so conscious of how precious every moment is had I not gone through cancer.  

 I’m in a new chapter of life as a full-time student for the first time, committed to a fulfilling future, something that was lost to me for years. During those grueling years, I didn’t have the mental or financial capacity to focus on school, because my resources were dedicated to closing the chapter on cancer.   

 I certainly didn’t walk away unscathed, but I did take away many lessons from this transformative experience:   

First, don’t wait too long to get something unusual checked out by your doctor. Take care of things sooner rather than later.   

Second, cancer isn’t always synonymous with tragedy.   

Alicia Tabaka, of Newington, is a sophomore majoring in communication at Central Connecticut State University.