NEW PALESTINE — Amy Nichols calls her son Caleb “the miracle kid.” Caleb said he’s just a guy who loves to listen to heavy metal music and work on computers.
He also happened to beat leukemia over the past two years; not that big a deal as far as he’s concerned.
“I don’t feel like having leukemia is something to dwell on,” Nichols said. “Yes, it was a major life event that happened to me, but it’s not defining me in any way.”
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One thing is certain: Nichols, one to not sulk around, he said, will be an official graduate of the Class of 2020 after today’s scheduled ceremony at New Palestine High School, slated for 10 a.m.
Picking up a diploma and walking with his class is something his family wasn’t sure would happen just a few months ago, when he was in a fight for his life.
Caleb, the middle son in the Nichols family, had to battle through multiple threatening episodes after his diagnosis in the summer of 2018.
“They told me three different times to prepare myself because they didn’t think he was going to make it,” his mother said. “It was touch-and-go during that first six months after the diagnosis.”
Then came Nichols’ second fight, the challenge to get back on track at school and graduate with his class.
The fact the senior is getting a chance to graduate on time is remarkable considering he missed nearly all of his junior year.
“It was hard not being able to go to prom or learn how to drive or being able to get my credits in order so I could graduate,” Nichols said.
He was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia shortly after turning 16. He’d been feeling badly and was unable to shake a sick feeling for over a year. The family thought he might be diabetic or just prone to sickness. They were shocked to learn he had leukemia.
They learned about the diagnosis after Caleb had been taken to the hospital for an emergency visit. An alert doctor knew something serious was going on.
“His kidneys were almost completely shut down,” his mother said. “They immediately put him on dialysis in the ICU.”
After that came the blood work and an immediate trip to another hospital, where specialists took over.
Starting in July 2018, Caleb spent nearly six straight months, with his mother by his side, at Riley Hospital for Children. Much of it was spent in intensive care fighting infections. Caleb underwent 16 painful spinal taps during his treatment.
His mother marvels when she thinks back on how tough her son was and what he went through.
“He’s big and he’s strong and really strong willed and I think it has served him well,” she said.
Nichols admits he can be hard-headed at times, but said he never had a doubt he’d make it through his illness.
“I never once thought I was going to fall victim to it,” Nichols said. “I just kind of said, ‘I’m gonna do whatever I have to do to get through it.’”
Saturday, Nichols, who earlier this week got a clean bill of health from his doctors, will be graduating with his class. At one point, he thought he wouldn’t be able to graduate until December.
His 18th birthday is Monday, July 13.
“I never thought he’d be alive let alone be able to graduate,” his mom said. “We’re really going to celebrate these next few days.”
As for Caleb, he just wants to focus on being healthy and doing some fun things like getting his driver’s license this summer before focusing on getting a job to save money to further his education.
Nichols said he hopes to one day work in information technology support. But for now, his parents, including his dad, Jeffrey, are going to let him enjoy life.
“I haven’t had time to just sit still and live,” Caleb said. “It has just been a constant needing to go here and there to fix things these past two years.”
The only thing that needs fixing now, he said, is being able to find a concert to attend, something that is not so easy to do because of the pandemic.
“The heavy metal Megadeth band was supposed to be coming through here this past weekend, but the show got cancelled,” Caleb said.
A small disappointment, perhaps. But with his healthy prognosis, Caleb knows more concerts are in his future.
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This is the final story in a series about members of the Class of 2020 in Hancock County as they prepare for commencement exercises this weekend.
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Greenfield-Central and New Palestine high schools will have commencement exercises today (Saturday, July 11). The ceremonies will be at the schools’ stadiums.
Greenfield-Central: 9 a.m.
New Palestine: 10 a.m.
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