OM Story Share: Nicole Pagliei, diagnosed Sept 2020

“Life only gives you what you can handle, well apparently life thinks I’m a badass”

Hi, my name is Nicolette Pagliei and I am 22 years old from West Chester PA. At 22 years old I just graduated from Kutztown University in May where life was just perfect, and I was so ready to take that next step into the world, but the world had different plans for me. And even though the world was already different because of this crazy pandemic and my life changed completely on September 28th, 2020, when I was diagnosed with Ocular melanoma.

After seeing many eye doctors, I was treated at Wills Eye Hospital, where I did plaque radiation and lost most of my vision in my left eye. This experience has taught so much about myself as I was told I had cancer alone while family could only facetime in because of restrictions, this taught me strength and perseverance, and so much more. This experience has been hard, when physically I feel amazing and mentally, I must deal with vision loss, and the nerves when I have to drive in the rain or at night, and the look on people’s faces when I say that only can see out of one eye, it truly is a mind game, but I can say I am playing and forever will.

I would be lying if I said I did not worry every single day. Worry about cancer coming back, worry about something happening to my good eye, worry, worry, worry but I have to say what gotten me through is the people I surround my self with. My mom, dad, and sister Brianna are my rocks and lift me up every day, my boyfriend Nik keeps me going daily, my friends, family, doctors and nurses who take care of me and everyone in between are the reason I keep playing this game.

And although at 22 I thought life might be a little different, but I wake up every day and keep going, because I do have so much to see in this world. And Ocular melanoma would never take over my life but gives me more of reason to keep living. Eye Believe!