Lymphoma

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Starting a New Fight

by 5 Comments
Jan
03
2011
Thryoid

I'm not sure  if I've mentioned here before that I had to have thyroid surgery recently? When I was having my PET scans for my Hodgkin's, they found a hot spot on my thyroid which didn't change with treatment. I was referred to ENT and after a biopsy came back inconclusive, they decided to operate. The operation included them removing half of my thyroid gland, and a lovely 3 inch scar on my neck (roughly where a man's Adam's apple is). Six weeks after my operation, I got the results. I had the obligatory chat on the way to the consultation room: “How are you today, Roz?” “OK, I think, I’m hoping YOU can tell ME.” We walked into the room and there was my surgeon, his registrar, another professor, a nurse, and a nurse counsellor. When there are that many people in the room, it’s never good news. Doc: “We’ve only had your results back today” Me: “Right. And…” Doc: “It’s positive” Me: “Meaning?” Doc: “It’s … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lymphoma, Lymphoma (Hodgkin's) Tagged With:

One Year Later…

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Dec
02
2010
96281-119875-one-year-later_large

A year ago, I went for my chest x-ray, after going to see my GP the previous day. That chest x-ray was the thing I needed to start the ball rolling to get my final diagnosis. 48 hours after the x-ray (Thursday), I was to get a call telling me I needed a CT scan the next day (Friday). I didn’t sleep from then until I saw the chest consultant (Tuesday). I was convinced I was going to walk into that room to be told they suspected Hodgkin’s, but now, they suspected a cyst. If only. The surgeon who was going to be removing the "cyst" that suspected it could be lymphoma because of the pain I was having whenever I had the tiniest bit of alcohol. The reason I saw him? Because I was bricking it about the operation, and wanted to see him to see if I could cancel it. He wouldn’t let me. That operation, or at least the thought of it, was the scariest thing I ever had to go through. I spent so much time reading up on it, I’d convinced myself I was going to die. I was asking my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lymphoma, Lymphoma (Hodgkin's) Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Remember the Time…

by 4 Comments
Oct
23
2010
Life After Chemo

It's been 2 months since I finished chemo, and it's beginning to seem like a distant memory. It's strange looking back and remembering that every 2 weeks I had to go for chemo, and that every week I'd have a blood test. And what about the fact that I used to have to give myself an injection every 2 weeks? It all seems like a different world. I never felt like I had cancer. I don't know why. Maybe it's to do with the fact that I was never ill as I thought I would be after chemo. I expected to have to take to my bed for days on end, but it was only 48 hours after treatment that I would have my really bad day. The achy bones was my worst thing. I felt like an old woman. All of my bones, even my knuckles would ache, it was like no pain I had ever experienced. I would have rather given birth again! So, now it's all over, things have started to get back to normal, whatever "normal" is. It's been so long since life was normal. I say that, but in 2 weeks time I'm having an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lymphoma, Lymphoma (Hodgkin's)

Lymphoma? What’s That?

by 3 Comments
Oct
05
2010
signs

Recently, I had the pleasure of helping out the Lymphoma Association at some Fresher Fairs. They were there to raise awareness of Lymphoma as part of their PITS campaign. I don't know what the stats are in the USA, but here in the UK, lymphoma is the most common cancer in the under 30's and the sixth most common cancer fullstop, yet we know so little about it. Whilst, I by no means am a medical professional, I have, unfortunately, come to know a fair amount about Hodgkin's Lymphoma over the last year. In a nutshell, lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic cells in the immune system. It is classed as a blood cancer and is spilt into two types. Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's. I don't know much about the latter, but there are a lot of different types. There isn't a cause of Hodgkin's, there isn't anything that you could have done differently, or not done to ensure you don't get it. Unfortunately, it's just one of those things. There are certain "risk factors" though. You are more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lymphoma, Lymphoma (Hodgkin's) Tagged With: ,

How to Tell Family and Friends Your Diagnosis

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Sep
30
2010
family1

The most difficult time for me was when I was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) and trying to figure out the best way to tell family and friends. Not only was I emotional about hearing the word “cancer”, I was worried about being strong for everyone else who relied on me. The hardest part in telling them was not knowing what to expect or how my body would respond to the treatment. Here’s what worked for me: Finding information about NHL: The most informative sources for me were the websites of the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society and Lymphoma Research Foundation and a book from my doctor’s office (100 Questions/Answers about Lymphoma). I didn’t spend much time reading survival statistics or other scary prognosis information. I focused on my oncologist telling me, “We’ll get you through this” and looked to other cancer survivors for motivation and advice. Tell the strongest people in your life first. It may be your family or your close friends. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lymphoma, Lymphoma (Non-Hodgkin's) Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

I Fought Like a Girl!

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Sep
29
2010
remission

Hi. I'm Roz, 29 from England. On February 9th this year, I was diagnosed with Nodular Sclerosis Hodgkin's Lymphoma. People have asked me if I was surprised when I got my diagnosis, and my answer is no. I'd been going to the doctor's with a Hodgkin's symptom since July 2009, it just so happens that because it was a very rare symptom, the GP I saw hadn't heard of it. I then saw another GP who also hadn't heard of it. This symptom was pain after alcohol consumption. We're not talking copious amounts of alcohol here, literally a couple of mouthfuls. I would get shooting pains in my shoulder, really intense shooting pains. I'd have to go and have a cry and a lie down for an hour, it was that painful. Alcohol pain is a very rare symptom of Hodgkin's. Not many people get it. The more common symptoms are night sweats, unexplained weight loss, painless lumps in one or more lymph nodes, itchy skin, and fatigue. The alcohol pain was my only symptom for a long time. For … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lymphoma, Lymphoma (Hodgkin's), Lymphoma Stories Tagged With: ,

Can a Diet High in Fruits and Veggies Reduce the Risk of Lymphoma?

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Aug
06
2010
Fruits, Vegetables, and Lymphoma

A study published in the International Journal of Cancer studied the effects of fruit and vegetables on the risk of lymphoma by looking at the diets of over 35,000 middle-aged women living in Iowa. They found that those who ate the most fruits and vegetables reduced their risk by about a third. These results were seen for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of lymphoma most likely to affect older people. They also looked at the effects of specific vitamins and nutrients on the risk of lymphoma. Surprisingly, higher intakes of the mineral manganese was associated with a 38 percent reduction, while diet rich in vitamin C reduced the risk of lymphatic cancer by 22 percent. Alpha-carotene - found in carrots, winter squash, and tomatoes - lowered the risk by 29 percent. Proanthocyanidins present in cranberries, blackberries, plums, and apples, reduced the risk by about a third. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower also lowered the risk of lymphatic cancer. A … [Read more...]

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