fear not

August 24, 2021

I’m 31 years old and in December 2020, and 34 weeks pregnant with my second daughter, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma called Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma after Doctors found a 14 cm (larger than a grapefruit!) mass in my chest after getting very sick. That night after leaving the ER I was immediately sent to MUSC in Charleston, SC to get help to save mine and my baby’s lives. I had to leave my three year old daughter suddenly without warning, and I was admitted into the hospital and stayed for 42 days. My daughter was born via emergency C-Section at 36 weeks and only weighed 4 lbs so I could begin chemotherapy 2 days later. She was born with what’s called HIE from lack of oxygen to her brain due to my cancer and had to undergo hypothermic cooling for 72 hours to try and save her brain function. We prayed and prayed for her and she came out from the NICU perfectly fine 4 weeks later and was able to go home but I had to stay to continue my treatment. That was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life! I found Zox bracelets after seeing a facebook ad and I had to get some! I originally purchased the Fear Not bracelet and the Survivor bracelet to encourage myself during my hard journey to not be afraid and never give up because my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is always with me through whatever storm I’m facing. I actually wound up giving my survivor bracelet to a lady I met that was getting a chemo infusion next to me in the hospital to encourage her to keep fighting! I love the message behind these bracelets and hope to encourage others to buy them and love them as much as I do!