My Cancer Journey

My name is Krista Collings and I am forty four, married, and active with two children. I am very engaged in my family, worked since I was thirteen years old, and always involved in my community. Sadly, in May 2025 I was diagnosed with cancer. By August 2025, it had transformed into Stage 4 Non Hodgkins Lymphoma with Ricter’s syndrome. I had to start chemotherapy immediately not sure if I could survive. I was suddenly in a ton of pain, disabled from working or driving, and desperately trying to understand the how, what, and why of what was happening.

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Finding My Spark: All the Lost Memories

As I lay in the hospital, I can’t help but think about all the moments I’ve missed — the ones that quietly slipped away while cancer treatments pressed pause. The last Ocean City trip with friends — the laughter, the salt air, the feeling of being free. Nights out with friends and their kids — just relaxing, talking, laughing, being part of the simple rhythm of life. The first day of school I couldn’t be there for — no outfit pick-outs, no styled-up hair, no hugs at the door

kristacollings8

Oct 312 min read

Noticing Miracles

Lately, life has felt like a series of shocks and twists — one after another, so quickly that my mind could barely catch up. The uncertainty, the fear, the pain — it all began to build inside me until anxiety took over. For the first time in my life, I decided to try medication to calm the storm. That night, I had one of the most horrific dreams I’ve ever experienced. In it, vultures that looked like fallen angels surrounded me. They threw me on my back and began to peck at m

kristacollings8

Oct 294 min read

The People You Meet in the Hospital

When you spend enough time in hospitals, you start to realize that healing isn’t just about medicine or machines. It’s also about people — the ones who show up every day, not because they have to, but because they care. In between the beeping monitors, fluorescent lights, and restless nights, I’ve met people who reminded me what strength, love, and simple humanity look like. They became part of my story — quiet teachers in the most unexpected place. The Woman Who Never Gave U

kristacollings8

Oct 293 min read

What I wish I knew before I heard the words Leukemia Lymphoma

Before cancer became part of my vocabulary, part of my identity, part of my day-to-day reality… I thought I understood the basics. I knew cancer was scary. I knew it could be serious. I knew people fought hard — and that many survived because they had to. But there’s a vast distance between knowing cancer as a concept… and hearing the words “Lymphoma” or “Leukemia” spoken about you. Before diagnosis, here’s what I believed: I believed life was predictable enough. Hard? Yes. M

kristacollings8

Oct 283 min read

Embracing Life Amidst Cancer: Finding Strength and Hope in the Journey

Cancer is a word that brings with it fear and a mix of emotions. When I first heard my diagnosis, it felt like my world was crashing down. The hurdles ahead appeared overwhelming, and the road seemed endless. Yet, as I went through treatment, I found that this journey was not only about fighting for survival; it was also about learning to live fully, tuning in to my body, and discovering strength in places I never expected. In this post, I want to share my cancer journey—the

kristacollings8

Oct 276 min read

Spark

One of the hardest parts of trying to survive your cancer is you lose so much of your dignity and essence in those hospital walls. The final yay to leave can actually be the hardest. The lights are not kind, and you end up staring at yourself, raw. We cover the hurts with scarves and necklaces, rally with hats and pops of color. Still, it's a process-trying to figure out how to just be ok with that person in the mirror. So I chose to smile and nod. Remembering how I smiled

kristacollings8

Oct 231 min read

Jumanji

In the hospital, being a first-time cancer patient, every day brought new concerns. Procedure anxiety, research for the procedures to ensure I understood, and pure anxiety of thinking what if I choose to do none of it. However, my medical team had a solid plan; I had to hang on and show up for the battle. When you are facing something, you know don't know how to handle, but must handle, sometimes you need to make a game of it to keep going. I made my own “Jumanji”. At home

kristacollings8

Oct 232 min read