My name is Slone Kays and I live in Kansas City, Missouri. I was first diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer at 15. Before my diagnosis, I was young with big plans for my future. I was very active in my church and loved to sing — especially in our praise and worship band.

In the summer of 2011, I was 15 years old and was experiencing horrible headaches with the constant sound of water swishing in my ears. As my year in high school began, my headaches became more severe everyday an the water sound in my ears was now constant. My mother took me to the emergency room one evening when I was unable to open my eyes due to the headache…it took hours for us to get in, and when we finally did, I had a doctor look in my nose, ears and throat and claimed that I only came for pain medication. The next day, I was taken to our primary care doctor who said I should get an MRI “just to rule out anything serious”. The following day, I was in algebra class and over the announcements I was called to pack all my things because I was going home. My parents picked me up with panic in their voices, telling me they are taking me to the children’s hospital to discuss my MRI. I had no fear, no idea what was going on…completely clueless. When we got to the hospital, we met a surgeon who told me that I will be getting brain surgery within the next few days to get a biopsy of a tumor they found in my brain and insert a shunt. I was not ready for that news, and truly thought it was a dream. The following day, I still believed I was dreaming when my parents friends drove 3 1/2 hours to pick us up and drive my parents and I to Columbia, MO to get a second opinion. In Columbia, I ended up getting many painful tests done along with brain surgery where they took a biopsy of one of my tumors and inserted a titanium plate. I thought after brain surgery and the recovery from that, I was done. Once we got home, I was told that the biopsy results came back that showed I need to start chemotherapy. I missed the rest of my high school experience, while I underwent chemo for about two years. After two years of miserable, invasive treatment…my cancer remained stable. We figured it wasn’t worth putting my body through chemo anymore if my cancer was going to stay stable, so I stopped treatment and got MRI’s often.

I graduated high school by mostly doing all my work from home. I was going to go to college with a new “life”, I wouldn’t be known as the “cancer girl” and I could completely create the life I wanted. I pursued an Elementary Education degree and had a fantastic college experience. During this time, my cancer continued to remain stable. I met my soulmate in my Junior year and graduated on time with a 1st grade teaching position and plans to move in with my boyfriend, Drew.

Fast forward to 2020, I had been teaching for 2 years and Drew and I had just gotten engaged. COVID-19 hit and I was now teaching from home. I noticed that I began to get back pain, and I just attributed it to being at home and not on my feet as much since I wasn’t in the classroom. It was time for my yearly MRI., and although my cancer had remained stable for 7 years, I had a pit in my stomach about this MRI. Unfortunately, we soon received news that my spine cancer had grown significantly and was causing me the back pain. Within the month I Had surgery on my spine to remove some of the cancer and started back on chemo. I was on and off chemo for about 5-6 months with horrible side effects. I finally had a side effect that almost put me into sepsis, and it was then I decided to chose my quality of life over treatment.

During the time I was on chemo and the few months I was not on chemo, we kept getting “Stable” scan reports. However, my back pain continued and I was experiencing cognitive issues such a memory loss, and the inability to form complete sentences. The next step was to have a pain pump inserted into my spine. We decided to get a second opinion in October 2021 at Mayo Clinic. We were hoping for a less invasive approach to fixing my back pain. Instead, we found out that my brain cancer has been growing since Nov 2020. My oncologist at the time, nor my radiologists found this. If we hadn’t gone to Mayo Clinic, I would’ve had irreversible cognitive and physical affects from my brain cancer. I am now back on chemotherapy for the third time...praying for a miracle. I am to get married in April and want to have a future to look forward to.

Chemo literally feels like your body is being destroyed from the inside. It has ruined many things that I have looked forward to in my future. From my inability to bear my own children, to having physical limitations for the rest of my life.

Unfortunately and fortunately, cancer shows you who the people in your life that will be there for you through it all. I’ve lost relationships with some of the closest people in my life because they either disappeared from this most recent diagnosis, or just chose not to recognize the pain I’m going through. My parents and fiancé have been my rock. I often feel like a burden for all that I put them through, and feel bad for sharing my emotions. However, they have stayed so strong for me through all of it. I also have some great friends who I know would drop whatever they’re doing to help me and be there for me whenever I need them.

Before treatment, I wish I would’ve known everything I took advantage of. I had a life. I was able to drive. I could walk on my own. I was able to work and earn a living. I was free and was so unaware of what could be taken from me, and how quickly it could happen.

The worst side effects for me are nausea and fatigue. Nausea is the worst feeling in the world, knowing I’m about to throw up and there’s nothing I can do to help it. The fatigue is what I experience the most, every day. I sleep the majority of each day and rarely have the energy to go to my doctors appointments.

The only thing that has worked for chemo side effects is medical marijuana. It works quicker than any pill could help.

My advice for other chemo patients is to take it day by day. Try to have a project or task to look forward to doing everyday. Find that passion to get out of bed in the mornings. Find your people and let them know how much they are appreciated. Let people care for you and do kind things, as that will bring an ounce of happiness to your day and will fill the hearts of the people who are helping you. Hold on tight to a future that is happy and healthy, because you will win this and be able to conquer anything that comes your way.