When asked about facing AML, Chris explains, “I am a warrior, not a survivor. To be a survivor means that I am at the mercy of AML”.
He goes on to share, “I personally see all of it as individual challenges. I accept them one by one and deal with them all one by one. I wake up in the morning and think about one thing, just one little thing that will drive me that day. Sometimes it's simple, sometimes it is not. The point is that I hit my mark each and every day. I have made my long-term goals and mid-term goals. I keep them separate from my day. Each day you rise is a victory. Think about it, you are here reading this! That means you have already won the day.”
“The sad reality of this path is that regardless of how well you feel and think you are doing; you are only as good as your next appointment. This keeps me up at night OFTEN. Like everyone, there are factors and side effects that I deal with that make it very hard to remain civil at times, but I do what I can.”
It is easy to give in, or even to give up, but it is important to remember what you are fighting for. “To help, I have always needed to push the envelope just a little harder each time to remind myself that my fight is valid and that my effort is recognized.”
“I will go for walks, go for a drive (I have a wrangler), and when I am too deep in my head I have "my place" by the ocean where I will go sit, and just let the sights, sounds, and smells wash the anxiety away. I talk to my dad there too, who I recently lost. The key for me is to always have outlets for the anxiety and not let it become all-consuming.”
“I have learned that there is a very big difference between living and simply existing. It is up to each of us to work hard to live our lives to their fullest and to not fall into just existing. Yes, it can be terribly hard at times. But the things in life that are worth fighting for are often hard. The easy thing to do is to accept the limitations and simply settle with them. I prefer to fight the limitations every chance I have.
“I have also learned that nothing is guaranteed, and I just can't see myself giving in to the many demons that AML gives us. I fully understand that some of us have a harder path than others, but there are always ways that we can regain our focus.” Taking control allows us to live the best lives we possibly can.
“In a way, we have an opportunity here in that we can restart many things, but it is up to us to take those steps, to find the things that work, and to push, mentally and physically, every single time. I choose to be a warrior every single day.”
When asked about facing AML, Chris explains, “I am a warrior, not a survivor. To be a survivor means that I am at the mercy of AML”.
He goes on to share, “I personally see all of it as individual challenges. I accept them one by one and deal with them all one by one. I wake up in the morning and think about one thing, just one little thing that will drive me that day. Sometimes it's simple, sometimes it is not. The point is that I hit my mark each and every day. I have made my long-term goals and mid-term goals. I keep them separate from my day. Each day you rise is a victory. Think about it, you are here reading this! That means you have already won the day.”
“The sad reality of this path is that regardless of how well you feel and think you are doing; you are only as good as your next appointment. This keeps me up at night OFTEN. Like everyone, there are factors and side effects that I deal with that make it very hard to remain civil at times, but I do what I can.”
It is easy to give in, or even to give up, but it is important to remember what you are fighting for. “To help, I have always needed to push the envelope just a little harder each time to remind myself that my fight is valid and that my effort is recognized.”
“I will go for walks, go for a drive (I have a wrangler), and when I am too deep in my head I have "my place" by the ocean where I will go sit, and just let the sights, sounds, and smells wash the anxiety away. I talk to my dad there too, who I recently lost. The key for me is to always have outlets for the anxiety and not let it become all-consuming.”
“I have learned that there is a very big difference between living and simply existing. It is up to each of us to work hard to live our lives to their fullest and to not fall into just existing. Yes, it can be terribly hard at times. But the things in life that are worth fighting for are often hard. The easy thing to do is to accept the limitations and simply settle with them. I prefer to fight the limitations every chance I have.
“I have also learned that nothing is guaranteed, and I just can't see myself giving in to the many demons that AML gives us. I fully understand that some of us have a harder path than others, but there are always ways that we can regain our focus.” Taking control allows us to live the best lives we possibly can.
“In a way, we have an opportunity here in that we can restart many things, but it is up to us to take those steps, to find the things that work, and to push, mentally and physically, every single time. I choose to be a warrior every single day.”
about the author
Jacob Ahlstrom
Jacob is a writer on the HealthTree for AML team. He is passionate about spreading awareness for AML. Jacob is neuroscience graduate preparing to become a Physician Assistant.
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