I am Adam Claxton and this is my AML Journey

1st September 2024, the day I was told those words, the C word that everyone dreads, what was even harder to understand was I had no symptoms, I had not long returned from a family holiday abroad and felt unwell with what I believed was the start of a nasty chest infection. I thought I would be given a prescription for antibiotics; never did I ever think I would hear the words Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

What followed was what I can only describe as a rollercoaster of emotions. I felt them all, the shock, the upset, the disbelief, anxiety, and fear of the unknown and a numbness that was so hard to describe, how does anyone come to terms with this. Then there are the questions, what happens next? why me? how do we tell the children? how do we tell the family?  what happens to my business? is it treatable? is it curable? Will I be, ok?

As a mindset coach I turned into my own client, what could I do? what did I have control over and how do I maintain a positive mindset when it felt like my whole world turned upside down.

“Let the doctors look after the body, you protect your mind and soul”.

I quickly developed a few mantras that helped me to process this chapter that I was navigating.

  1. Acknowledge – I had to come to terms with being a blood cancer patient, acknowledge the emotions and remember that storms blow over in time.
  2. Accept – It is what it is, I have no control over the situation, but I do have control over my thoughts and how I react and respond.
  3. Allow – I allowed the Doctors, Consultants and Medical Teams to do whatever was needed on my body whilst I focused on looking after and protecting my mind and soul.

Before I knew it round one of chemotherapy was under way and it was intense, yet I was always focused on my energy being greater than the chemo. It was overwhelming at times as so much was happening to me and around me, a lot to take in but I was briefed so well and always felt that I was receiving the best treatment and care.

I found out about Stem Cell Transplants and that with my diagnosis there would be a strong possibility that this route could be explored and then before I knew it, I was told more news….

“Your Brother is a match”

This was music to my ears; my own brother was a 100% match which puts me in a favourable position for a transplant. Having finished round one of chemo I was booked back in for round two starting 2 weeks later and I had my first consultation with Professor Charlie Craddock at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

My AML had gone into remission after round one which was fantastic news, having had a discussion with Professor Craddock, taking onboard all the options and how the future may look, I made the informed decision that the Stem Cell Transplant was the best way forward for me.

I have recently finished a second round of chemotherapy, a subsequent bone marrow biopsy and various other tests and I am back in for the transplant mid-December.

Although the thought of being away from my partner and children on Christmas Day is tough, it just makes me more determined to ensure that I don’t miss anymore, in the grand scheme of things, its 1 Christmas and New Year and after all I am being given the gift of life, who knew that stem cells were going to be at the top of my Christmas list for 2024.

“A positive mindset will always deliver positive results”.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to look after, train and strengthen our minds. I fully believe that a major part of my healing and recovery so far has been down to how I think and apply myself with habits and routines that all help my mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

I am so grateful for every breathe that I take, for everybody that has helped me on this journey so far, to the NHS who despite the challenges do an amazing job and for me being in a position where I am able to share my journey with others.

Remember that its one chapter and not the whole book. One bad chapter does not define you; it can set you up for something greater than you could ever possibly imagine.