Hi, I'm Kayla.

I'm in my early thirties, living in East Tennessee with my two kids (both under 10), and navigating something I never expected: a classical Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis that changed everything.

Before Cancer

I've spent my career as a software developer, guided by a philosophy that's always felt true to me: software development is my career, people are my passion. I love the daily challenge of solving technical problems, but what really drives me is the people behind the code - understanding their needs, making their lives easier, building something that matters.

Motherhood brought a whole different kind of daily challenge - the beautiful, exhausting, hilarious kind that comes with raising two kids. I've always been someone who moves, who solves, who pushes forward. Rest wasn't really in my vocabulary.

The Diagnosis

In June 2024, an unexpected chest X-ray revealed a large mass in my mediastinum. After weeks of biopsies and waiting for results, I was diagnosed with classical Hodgkin lymphoma, Nodular Sclerosis subtype, stage 3B bulky. Treatment began in late July with a combination of nivolumab (Nivo) and AVD chemotherapy - six cycles, 28 days each, with infusions on days 1 and 15.

But here's the thing: I'd been sick for much longer than that. Starting in early 2023, I felt symptoms I couldn't explain - crushing fatigue, irritability that wouldn't lift, a growing sense that something was deeply wrong. We tried treating it as depression, as hormonal issues, as anything we could think of. Nothing helped.

Looking back now, it makes sense. For years, I couldn't see my life past age 30. Not in a dramatic way - I just genuinely couldn't imagine being 31. I thought maybe I was broken for not being able to plan ahead like other people. Turns out, my body was telling me the truth before doctors could confirm it.

Why This Blog

I started this blog to share updates with friends and family during treatment. It was meant to be simple - a way to keep people informed without repeating the same story dozens of times.

But as I've written, I've realized this journey is teaching me things that might resonate beyond my immediate circle. About living in two time streams during chemo. About reclaiming a future you thought was gone. About what happens when forced rest meets someone who never stops moving. About being present for your kids when you're fighting for your life. About faith that holds you when you can't hold yourself.

My diagnosis forced me to pause longer than I ever imagined I'd get with two young kids. And in that pause, I'm learning what it means to truly live - not just survive, not just push through, but actually be present for the life I almost didn't get to keep living.

What You'll Find Here

This isn't just a cancer blog, though cancer is certainly part of the story. It's about awareness - awareness of Hodgkin lymphoma and what chemo patients go through, yes, but also awareness of self. Of what matters. Of how to hold onto hope when you can't see the future clearly.

I write about the hard parts and the hopeful parts. The foggy gaps and the hyper-present moments. The grief and the gratitude. The faith that sustains me and the questions I'm still asking.

If you're going through something hard - cancer, chronic illness, grief, uncertainty about your future - I hope you'll find something here that helps you feel less alone. If you love someone who's struggling, maybe these posts will help you understand what they can't always put into words.

The Short Version

Software development is my career. People are my passion. Cancer became my teacher. And this blog is where I'm processing all three.

Thank you for being here.

💜 Kayla