Conversations with the Inspiring Cassidy White

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassidy White.

Cassidy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In November 2014, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia while 29 weeks pregnant.

At 30 weeks, my doctor induced labor and our baby boy, Beckham, was born weighing only 3lbs 8oz. Four days after he was born, I started my first round of chemo.

The only thing that brought me peace during this time was knowing that my newborn baby was in the NICU in the very same hospital I received treatment. While I spent the next month in the hospital, he spent his first five weeks of life there with me. Unfortunately, I’d gotten a really bad cold and was unable to hold him or visit him. They had to bring him to me — in my room — so I could stare at him through a tiny, clear plastic box–forbidden to touch him as if he were to break.

I was released from the hospital before him and had to leave him in the care of the nurses and hospital staff while I tried to recover.

I quickly went into remission, but a specific mutation I had called “FLT3” was notorious for its uncompromising ways of coming back. My only hope of living past two years was to receive a stem cell transplant from a donor.

I underwent a few more rounds of chemo and received a stem cell transplant in April 2015.

After receiving the transplant, I’ve stayed in remission but I have a long road ahead to become my “healthy” self again, if ever. As a side effect of my the transplant, I have Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD). There are various types of GVHD — mine tends to be more myofascial (muscles) which causes tight muscles and restricted range of motion.

I can no longer pick up my kids, carry a purse, shower, stand up, or even clothe myself. I require help mostly from my husband, and high school sweetheart, Klay. He takes care of me, our first born — Brody (age 6) — and Beckham. He cooks, cleans, bathes the kids, does the laundry, helps me clean myself, makes my medicine, and so much more.

Interestingly enough, this is worse than the chemo, cancer, and hospital stays all combined (and I’ve had countless over the years). I’ve dealt with blood clots that made me look like a hot air balloon (twice), Superior Vena Cava Syndrome, pneumonia (at least 3-4 times), GVHD of the gut, the eyes, the skin, and severe migraines.

But through it all, I’ve been able to meet some incredible people, talk and inspire those who have gone through similar situations, and continue to write in hopes to make a difference in awareness and the outlook about cancer. I keep it real, never sugar-coating the details–no matter how in-your-face they might be. I try to make laugh and find joy in the hard times. while also letting them into the deep depression I’ve experienced through this as well.

That’s where my blog at lifeoncasslane.com comes in. It’s a view of my world (even before cancer) during treatment and diagnosis, and post-cancer survivorship.

If I wasn’t pregnant, I would have never known I had leukemia. It was only after I approached my doctor in the second trimester that I told her I don’t feel normal. I was losing my breath just from walking 15 feet into my bathroom. She checked my blood, I was anemic, and said we’d look at it again at 28 weeks when I take my gestational diabetes test.

I got a phone call on a Sunday, a few days after the test, from my OBGYN. I was just about to walk out to go to my baby shower when the phone rang, and my heart sank. I knew it was bad if she was calling me on a Sunday. She told me my bloodwork was worse and she scheduled an appointment for me to go see a hematologist at Texas Oncology.

“Could this be cancer?” I asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I’m a vagina doctor, that’s not my area of expertise,” she replied.

The next day I went to Texas Oncology, but they didn’t see anything. Three days later, I went in for lower back pain and was admitted — that’s when they told me it was leukemia. In a matter of days, it had shown up. Beckham ultimately saved my life.

When he was born, he had a huge knot in his cord. My OBGYN told us that if we hadn’t induced this soon, and would have progressed in my pregnancy, it would have put too much strain on the cord and he could have died.

So, I guess we saved each other.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s definitely not been a smooth road. It’s been up and down over and over again — especially with this GVHD. Every time I think things are looking up and I’m feeling better, I get kicked down to the ground once more.

It seems neverending. And, since my GVHD is chronic (it can also be acute), I will deal with this for the rest of my life.

I would tell anyone who is diagnosed with cancer to look for others out there who are going through the same thing. Find those resources! From Facebook GVHD groups and specific groups to specific cancers or age groups are so beneficial.

If I would have had that from the beginning, I would have known more of what to expect (from a patient’s point of view). I’ve learned more from a Facebook group by reading questions and answers about medications, side effects, what’s worked for them and what hasn’t than I have anywhere else.

If you’re a young woman, find people your age going through the same illness or treatment. It’s crucial to find people your age experiencing the same thing. At my age of diagnosis, 27 years old, I was taking care of a toddler, had a baby in the NICU, and was wanting to get back into a career (eventually). Some people are in college or making their first mark at their new job and getting married and having kids. While some may be single, or a single parent. And, if there are people that want to have kids, they need to know about the damage chemo does to your reproductive system that is irreversible.

Be aware. Take in knowledge. Don’t look at survival rates. Don’t look at the numbers. They may not apply to you, Mine sure didn’t.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Blog – lifeoncasslane.com story. Tell us more about the business.
I earned a BA in Journalism and Public Communications (PR) from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Yes, even though I was born and bred Texan, I did live in Alaska when I first married my husband (who had just joined the USAF and was stationed at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage.

I always loved writing and so I started blogging when we left Alaska and drove all the way home to Texas. We took a scenic route through Canada (the Yukon and British Columbia), Washington, Oregon, California (the Redwoods, San Fran, LA, San Diego) and up to Vegas then the Grand Canyon and back to Texas.

He’s still in the Reserves (thankfully!). Through them, we’ve had great insurance, which not everyone has.

I blogged on and off about my struggles being a first-time mother — from the time sleepless nights to the time I locked my four-month-old in the truck at the local Walmart.

People read me (or so they tell me) because of my honesty and candor. Many say I’ll have them laughing hysterically one minute and then bawling like a baby the next.

I think that’s what makes me different — I keep it 100 — all day, every day.

Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
I was always an outgoing person. I was full of life and many people said I could talk to anyone despite their age. I would find a commonality somewhere.

I think my talkative, peppy ways definitely made me into the writer I am today. I had teachers, parents, grandparents, friends, and family tell me I needed to be on TV or radio.

Although I didn’t find my way to the TV screen or audio waves yet, I certainly found my strength through print (or screen, if you read my blog).

I’ve always been fascinated by learning about others and the way they live or have lived. So many people have different experiences and it’s interesting to see what “their” story is.

I always say, “Everyone has a story; you just have to find it.”

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.lifeoncasslane.com
• Email: casslaneblog@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeoncasslane/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifeoncassln/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lifeoncassln

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.