06 Nov An Angel’s Life

When the doctors at Roswell told me and my step-dad I was sick, I remained calm on the outside. Inside, I was totally freaking out! Am I going to die? I’m only 14-years old and I have so many things I want to do. I want to dissect a frog. I want to play baseball, dodgeball and kickball. I don’t really like school, but I think I would like chemistry if I got to make things go boom, boom. When I grow up, I want to be a pastry chef.

I’m a laid-back kid, but I can be full of mischief. I care about family, friends and video games. My phone is my life! I sometimes worry that my best friend will forget about me, but that’s something I don’t want to think about too much.

Having a bone marrow transplant was really tough. At first my taste buds were messed up. Things I used to like I didn’t like. The headaches were really bad. I still get headaches. I go every week to Roswell for checkups. I have been living at the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House with my mom for the past 8 months.

The House is a place where hospital staff and noises aren’t waking me up at midnight every night. In our suite I have a side room that is all my own; it’s my personal space where I can sleep, play video games, (I’m at max level in Destiny 2), and watch YouTube.

The House is nice and cozy and everyone is extremely nice. Basically, it’s another home if you want it to be. The cooks that come every night always make something really good to eat, except meat loaf, I hate meat loaf! Rotisserie chicken is my favorite, I ate a whole one myself! Getting up for refrigerator raids for mid-night snacks is great, especially if there is left over rotisserie chicken!

My step-dad brings my 3 little sisters to visit me and my mom on weekends. They’re my little sisters. What can I say? It’s nice to see them, but they come into my side room, invade my personal space and won’t leave. It’s fun when they visit me. But let’s face it, sometimes little sisters can be annoying.

To all the people out there going through a bone marrow transplant, I want you to remember that no matter how terrible you feel with all the pain, know that at the end it will be worth it. I know this. I live this. Today I’m not freaked out anymore, in fact I am the opposite. I’m happy because I know I will always have my second home near the hospital to come to if I need it. I hope I won’t need it.

Angel Kimbrough