Carson is a 17 year old starting her senior year in high school. This was supposed to be the best year of her life, until she is diagnosed with leukemia 6 months before her senior year. There was hope and treatments for this type of cancer, but Carson didn’t want it to affect her life. Unfortunately now everything in her life is changing, her best friend Anna that used to be the one person she could count on to be there is turning her back. Her family, who never cared what she did before, is now watching her every move. So Carson decides to makes some changes herself, she’s now looking at what could be the last few months that she has to live as an adventure. Striving to save her life and not lose her in the process. Not even death can stop her from living her dreams.


PREFACE

My name is Carson James. I am a senior at East Valley High School. Six months ago I was diagnosed with leukemia, and this is the story of the end of my life. I’m writing it all down I want everyone to know my story. It was January 4th, 2009 the day the doctor called my mom and gave her the news a week later I started my first round of chemotherapy. I continued getting chemo every Friday for the next four months. I didn’t want anyone to know that I had cancer. When my hair started falling out I went out and bought a wig. Nobody really noticed, I wasn’t what you call the popular kid in school.
The only person that I ever really talked to in school was my best friend Anna. She’s been my best friend since I was 5 years old; she’s the one person that I’ve always considered my sister. But even she didn’t know what was really going on in my life.
Shortly after I finished my chemotherapy they declared me in remission. Finally my hair started growing back and I thought that I was in the clear. Till today, I went back to the doctor for another blood test.
“Carson, unfortunately I have some bad news, it seems your latest screening as showed a new spot, I’m sorry but it’s come back.” I had relapsed. He informed us that the only possibility left was a bone marrow transplant. I, my mom, and my dad were the only part of the family left. My mom and dad are too old, and the possibility of someone else bone marrow sticking in my system was slim.
But he was giving us the decision to make, giving me the choice, and I chose to finish my life the right way and not in pain. The doctor left the room to let us figure it out. As I was contemplating the past few months my mom was going on about people we can call for help and place we can go to get help. I know she wasn’t ready to give up but I couldn’t just let her make the decision for me.
“Mom just stop! That’s not what I want. I want to be happy. Face it it’s not going to work and you know that. I want to have fun and do what I want to do with the time that I have left. I chose not to do the transplant. You may not agree but it’s what I want, you can’t change my mind.” I stood up and walked out of the room. I need air, I have to clear my head walking down the halls of the hospital I pass the cancer patients sitting in the waiting room, thinking look at them waiting, waiting to die. I’m done waiting to die, it’s time to start living from this day on I’m going to live.