My name is Nikki! I'm not trying to show off but, my life is great. I have everything I ever needed.
Two loving wonderful parents lots of friends, good grades,
A giant house and I am amazing at sports.
After hearing this, you are probably thinking, 'Wow! this girl's life is perfect!"
Okay, maybe I am showing off a little. But you know, before having a perfect life,
My family and I lived in an old house in a terrible neighbourhood...
What we had before, was nothing like what we have today.
At one point my parents thought they had to do something to make our lives better.
So they pushed themselves through college and dedicated all of their time and energy and to working hard.
Finally, they both got good jobs and six years later, we have everything we've ever dreamed of!
We never forget where we came from, and know what it's like to struggle.
So every week, we would go and give away groceries to the homeless people in our old neighbourhood.
Seeing them struggle makes me think, I'm lucky that my parents have made it this far and I get to live super comfortably.
My parents hard work getting us to where we are today, also helped me gain access to the modelling industry.
You see I have beautiful long curly hair that falls beautifully down to my waist.
Strangers stop to give me compliments about my beautiful thick curls, while I find myself to be just another ordinary girl.
My hair is definitely my special feature that I'm quite proud of.
I was getting modelling jobs because of my hair and as I went on with it,
I knew I had a really good chance of doing well in a modelling career.
But, one awful day, I was doing some homework..
Suddenly, I felt a stabbing pain in the side of my body.
A kind of pain I've never felt before
It hurt.. really really bad
I ran downstairs to my parents as quickly as I possibly could. But the second I got to them, the pain was gone!
So, I just thought and might have been a really bad cramp. The moments later it all came back; and it was getting worse, and worse.
My legs swelled up, and my hunger was gone. What is happening to me?
My parents rushed me to the hospital.
After examining me, the doctor said there was nothing to worry about.
It was just my body maturing, but how could that be when I felt the stabbing pain almost five times a day!
My parents were really worried too, but they trusted the doctor and hoped that I'd soon get better. My condition stayed stable,
Until,
I started to see blood in my urine.
At first when I saw blood in my urine,
I thought it was my period. But it quickly became evident that it wasn't. So we rushed back to the hospital.
This time, the doctor decided to run more tests.
And after awhile, she came back with terrible news..
The one nobody ever wants to face with.
Cancer.
I am diagnosed with stage 3, kidney cancer.
My parents did not want me to go through chemotherapy because of all its side effects.
There are so many side effects. From hair loss, to nausea.
Vomiting to diarrhoea. And they couldn't bear seeing their girl go through all of that.
So they told the doctor to try every other way possible to cure my illness.
It's been six months from the day that I was diagnosed with cancer.
I have gone through a number of surgical operations and my next appointment, is today.
My parents brought me in for a checkup like we have been doing throughout the past six months.
We were expecting to hear that at least I am getting a little bit better..
But the news today was even more terrible than the day I was diagnosed with cancer.
The doctor told us that my cancer has spread to various parts of my body, and I have an even bigger chance of dying.
There was nothing more they could do the pull me through chemotherapy, and it was the worst nightmare of my life.
After chemo, I was constantly throwing up, not able to eat or do any sports that I loved so much!
But the worst part of chemotherapy that I was most afraid of, was the hair loss.
And, it's now happening..
My hair went from amazing,
To nothing..
I can't even look at myself in the mirror because it hurts so much!
This is not me!
Just a few weeks ago, I had my beautiful hair!
Now I am a girl with an ugly, bald, head. I was falling deep down into depression.
I didn't feel like myself. And I didn't even want to live anymore..
My parents were trying really hard to pull me out of depression.
They put me through therapy sessions, gave me wigs to try, out but none of those things made me feel better.
My hair is all gone!
I was going crazy in my head and started snapping at everyone.Throwing my hair products out of the window in a rage.
I tried to hide my bald head by wearing hoodies.
I was so ashamed and I've never felt so bad in my life
At that moment, it felt like nothing was ever going to cure my cancer or take my pain away.
Not the surgery, not the therapy.
Other than my own pain, the cancer has put my parents in sorrow.
I heard my dad crying one night when he thought I was asleep.
After that, I tried really hard not to let the cancer ruin my life and my family more than it already has.
I was done with chemotherapy, and my hair was growing out slowly.
Though, I don't think my hair will ever be as beautiful as it used to be.
I still have cancer and who knows how it is going to go?
But I decisively promise to myself that from now on I'll be strong for me.
And the people that I love.