Just before Christmas, nurse Alisha Allen was enjoying a holiday in the Blue Mountains with her partner Jamie after visiting with family when the 23-year-old “on the cusp of her life” started to feel a bit strange.
The woman, who lives in Melbourne’s south and has spent the last few years working in the oncology ward at Alfred Hospital, noticed she was tired and “kind of breathless”, her aunt Sal Douglas told Yahoo News Australia.
Oddly enough, it was then she texted a friend, in almost a nervously joking manner, “wouldn’t it be funny if I had leukaemia”. It was almost like a “premonition” of the “unimaginable turn” her life would take days later, Ms Douglas said. “It’s obviously come to her mind that it could be a possibility.”
Alisha was placed in a coma to protect her brain after she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and a rare and life-threatening inflammation syndrome. Source: Supplied
When Alisha began having chest pains she decided to go to the local emergency room, where doctors noted her liver wasn’t working properly and her white blood cell count was very low.
Just five days after sending the haunting message to her mate, the avid netball, footy and cricket player was diagnosed and rushed to Penrith Hospital and diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Tragic diagnosis after haunting text message
That night, on December 20, the 23-year-old was flown to Melbourne where she was immediately admitted to the very ward she where works, Ms Douglas said.
The following Monday, Alisha’s behaviour took an aggressive turn, puzzling her physicians and family. The cause was soon revealed to be Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) — a rare and life-threatening syndrome that causes the immune system to attack the body.
“It is basically shutting down all of her organs,” her aunt told Yahoo. “The inflammation is huge. It’s affecting her brain, her gallbladder, her liver, her intestines have shut down as well, so nothing’s really working.”
The avid netball, footy and cricket player is now fighting for her life. Source: Supplied
To protect her brain, the 23-year-old was placed in a coma for eight days, awaking on New Year’s Day, but still “very, very unwell”.
“She’s not quite herself,” Ms Douglas said, noting her typically vivacious niece was slow to respond. The family are unsure if she has suffered permanent damage.
“We’re hoping that she comes back,” she added. “To be diagnosed with leukaemia is more than enough, and then to have this complication on top of it is really brutal.”
Young nurse in the fight of her life
An initial round of chemotherapy affected her digestive system so doctors are now considering Blinatumomab — an immunotherapy treatment for ALL that Ms Douglas said is estimated to cost $120,000 because Alisha isn’t eligible under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
A fundraiser was created this week to help Alisha and her family pay their bills while she is in intensive care, and to potentially raise money towards the treatment.
“Everything’s been changing very rapidly,” Ms Douglas said. “Every day is very different, but it’s all been directed downhill. Unfortunately, everything’s just gotten worse and worse.”
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