As she adjusts her sunglasses, Mary squints to protect her sensitive eyes from the sun. Four years ago when lymphoma threatened her life, doctors gave her a 5 percent chance of survival.
“I really should be dead right now,” she states casually. A bone marrow transplant gave this patient a new lease on life, allowing for the treasured opportunity to mother her 8-year-old son. The transplant has been successful, but her body is riddled with graft versus host (GVH) disease, a reaction that has attacked her skin and eyes, resulting in pain and disfigurement.
Mary has survived the grueling experience with not only her life, but also an intimate knowledge of the medical system. Without any formal medical training, she has learned to ask the right questions, be direct with her caregivers, and persistent when she does not understand.
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