30-Year-Old Mother of 2 Felt Leg Numbness That Seemed Minor – Now She's Fighting for Her Life

In early January, life looked typical for a young mother balancing work and family. By the end of winter, she was navigating hospital corridors, enduring weeks-long stays, and adjusting to a reality where every day carried new medical hurdles.

A young mother of two noticed a strange numbness in her leg, but with so much else demanding her attention, it didn't seem urgent. She chalked it up to stress, fatigue, or maybe a pulled muscle from the gym.

But as the weeks passed, that small sensation began interfering with her sleep, her comfort, and eventually, her daily life. What she thought was minor would turn out to be the start of a life-altering medical emergency.

Dismissing the First Symptom

In early January, Brittne Largent noticed an odd numbness in her right toe. At 30 years old, with a full-time job and two young children, it was easy to assume it was just a minor issue and didn't give it much thought. But within a few weeks, the numbness turned into pain — sharper and more persistent than she expected.

The discomfort began radiating down her right side. Thinking it was sciatica, Largent tried stretching and home remedies, hoping the pain would pass. But nothing brought relief. The pain worsened, especially at night, making sleep nearly impossible.

Eventually, she was only managing brief stretches of rest, no more than 30 minutes at a time. After two weeks of sleepless nights and unrelenting pain, her husband took her to the emergency room. Doctors there concluded it was likely sciatica and sent her home without conducting additional tests.

Blood Work Reveals a Shocking Truth

Still in pain and with no answers, Largent made an appointment with her family doctor. Since she hadn't had her annual physical yet, she also asked for routine blood work, more out of habit than concern. But that decision turned out to be life-changing.

The lab work raised immediate red flags. Her doctor urged her to see an oncologist right away. That referral led to a bone marrow biopsy, which confirmed something Largent never imagined would be behind her symptoms: acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia, or AML, is a fast-moving type of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow, the soft inner part of certain bones where new blood cells are produced. In most cases, AML spreads quickly from the bone marrow into the bloodstream, and it can sometimes reach other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, brain, spinal cord, and testicles.

In rare cases, leukemia cells may form a solid tumor known as a myeloid sarcoma. Leukemia itself is a cancer of the blood-forming tissues. These cancers usually start in cells that would normally develop into different types of blood cells. AML most often begins in the early forms of white blood cells, though it can also affect other types of blood-forming cells.

The early signs of AML are easy to overlook. They can resemble common illnesses like a cold or the flu that just won't go away. But because AML is an aggressive disease, symptoms often worsen quickly and become more noticeable over time.

Later-stage symptoms of AML may include:

• Fatigue or weakness
• Dizziness
• Feeling unusually cold
• Fever or night sweats
• Frequent infections or infections that don't heal
• Easy bruising or bleeding, including nosebleeds and bleeding gums
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Headaches
• Pale skin
• Loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss
• Bone, back, or abdominal pain
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Tiny red spots on the skin called petechiae
• Sores or wounds that fail to heal

Because many of these signs can be dismissed as everyday health issues, a diagnosis often comes as a shock, especially for younger adults who otherwise feel healthy.

Starting Treatment Without Delay

After being diagnosed, Largent had little time to process the news before starting treatment. Rather than breaking down, she stayed composed and focused. "When I found out, I didn't even let myself cry at first. I thought, 'Alright, let's go. We need to go to the hospital. We need to get started,'" she said.

Her oncologist acted quickly, outlining a detailed plan that began with induction chemotherapy, a rigorous, seven-day course aimed at killing off as many leukemia cells as possible.

By late February, she was admitted to the hospital to begin the first round. The intensity of treatment meant she had to remain hospitalized for three weeks following that initial cycle. Treatment didn't end with that first stay.

Largent now receives chemotherapy twice a month: two weeks in the hospital for treatment and recovery, followed by two weeks at home before the next cycle begins. Despite the difficult schedule and the effects of treatment, she continues to juggle her responsibilities as a parent.

Being away from her children for extended periods hasn't been easy, but she's remained grounded. "I have been very blessed with the family and friends that I have, the support that I have, and I have been building my faith a lot stronger," she stated. "Since all of this has happened, my faith has grown significantly stronger."

Reflecting on the Signs She Missed

Looking back, Largent wishes she had taken those early symptoms more seriously. At the time, a numb toe didn't seem like anything worth worrying about. But now, she encourages others to pay closer attention to the quiet signals their bodies may be sending.

She believes that if she had acted sooner, her diagnosis might have come earlier, perhaps before the pain escalated and the disease progressed. "If I had listened to my body when my toe first went numb, maybe I would have caught it a couple of weeks earlier than I did," she said.

She hopes her experience serves as a reminder about the importance of regular checkups and advocating for one's health. Delays, even short ones, can make a difference when it comes to fast-moving illnesses like acute myeloid leukemia.

"Listen to your body and try not to skip your doctor's appointments, especially your annual check-ups," she urged. Determined to turn her experience into something meaningful, Largent shared her journey publicly.

"I shared it to help at least one person who comes across it," she said. "I want them to listen to their body because I was ignoring the toe numbness as if it were nothing."

Largent's journey is one of listening to her body and fighting to overcome the deadly illness. She is not alone in that fight. In 2021, another young mother's life also changed in an instant when a sudden, unexplained symptom revealed a rare and aggressive illness.

At just 20 weeks pregnant, Laura Mahon woke one morning unable to walk. What began as a suspected nerve issue turned out to be a brain tumor, later confirmed as glioblastoma, an incurable stage 4 cancer. Mahon faced the devastating reality of balancing treatment with new motherhood, delivering her daughter prematurely while doctors measured her own time in months, not years.

Her story is one of extraordinary resilience, where every hospital stay, clinical trial, and setback was matched by memories created for her daughter: family trips, renewed wedding vows, and even attending a Taylor Swift concert in Liverpool. Like Largent, Mahon chose determination over despair, turning her battle into a testament of love, awareness, and courage.