Well this sucks.

[Darth Nostril]

Short version - my mother died just after Easter, funeral was at the beginning of May.
Right after I got back from the funeral I went to the doctors about the lumps in my neck that had sprung up since mum died, and the persistent cough that had been bothering me.
This led to being referred to the Acute Medical Unit at Torbay hospital for some tests.
More tests, Xrays, CT scan, two biopsies, about a gallon of blood, a PET scan and a couple of weeks later I've been diagnosed with aggressive Hodgkins lymphoma.

I've had better months.

[Zaune]

Fucking hell.

[U.P. Cinnabar]

Short version - my mother died just after Easter, funeral was at the beginning of May.
Right after I got back from the funeral I went to the doctors about the lumps in my neck that had sprung up since mum died, and the persistent cough that had been bothering me.
This led to being referred to the Acute Medical Unit at Torbay hospital for some tests.
More tests, Xrays, CT scan, two biopsies, about a gallon of blood, a PET scan and a couple of weeks later I've been diagnosed with aggressive Hodgkins lymphoma.

I've had better months.

Aw hell, Nosttil, I'm sorry to hear that.

[Crazedwraith]

I'm sorry, that really sucks.

[LadyTevar]

OMG. I'm sorry.
What is the doctor suggesting as a course of action?

[Imperial Overlord]

I'm very sorry. Fuck cancer.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Short version - my mother died just after Easter, funeral was at the beginning of May.
Right after I got back from the funeral I went to the doctors about the lumps in my neck that had sprung up since mum died, and the persistent cough that had been bothering me.
This led to being referred to the Acute Medical Unit at Torbay hospital for some tests.
More tests, Xrays, CT scan, two biopsies, about a gallon of blood, a PET scan and a couple of weeks later I've been diagnosed with aggressive Hodgkins lymphoma.

I've had better months.

Shit. What stage? If you don't mind my asking. Survival rates for this sucker are pretty good...

[Darth Nostril]

OMG. I'm sorry.
What is the doctor suggesting as a course of action?

Once all the tests & scans were complete they put me on a course of large doses of steroids for a week, this has reduced the swelling of the tumours considerably. I can breathe freely again.
I've also put on weight and begun to regrow muscle mass. I'm deliberately fattening myself up for the hard days ahead, the diet I have carefully stuck to for a year and a half is right out the window.
Now that my vitals are back in the middle of the healthy range they've sent me home for the duration so I can get proper sleep, hospitals are not restful places.

Right now my biopsy samples are with the specialists at Plymouth hospital, classical Hodgkins has four sub-types & they have to identify which one it is. This involves examining the proteins growing on the surface of the cancer cells and the DNA of the cells themselves, it's not something that can be done quickly.
Once they've diagnosed the sub-type then the drug cocktail can be tailored for that type and I begin 6-8 months of chemotherapy only. Radiology has fallen out of favour when treating lymphoma because of the long term side effects.

Shit. What stage? If you don't mind my asking. Survival rates for this sucker are pretty good...

I'm stage 2B - 2 means large lumps above my diaphragm, B means secondary effects such as night sweats & weight loss.
It's easily treatable with the ABVD chemo regime, with about a 60+% chance of total remission. If it had been caught earlier the remission chance would be 90%, but most lymphomas start in the neck & are easily detectable, I'm in the minority where it started inside my chest. The initial symptoms resemble the common cold, and seeing how many times I got a cold or flu this past long, shitty, damp winter, it got lost in the background noise of general malaise.

The initial x-ray looked scary as fuck, with this mass of tumours reaching from my jaw all the way down to press against my stomach, the PET scan was a lot more reassuring, the lumps are arranged in an uneven cylinder down through my chest cavity (it's weird looking inside yourself in glowy 3D)
The doctors kept me in hospital until all the tests were done because the lumps were pressing against my lungs and heart, and a couple of major veins were being slightly restricted.
Once the steroids reduced the swelling they packed me off home to get some decent sleep & to stop me going insane with boredom (more than once I decided to go for a walk in the rooftop garden and had to be chased down the corridor by the nurse who needed to administer my blood thinners)

[Sea Skimmer]

I agree with the assessment, that's some seriously shitty news. But well, the first phase of treatment has worked. This is good.

[Dartzap]

You have my condolences, Torquay is a shit hole.

Sorry to hear it chap, Devon seems fairly well served for cancer treatment from what I've seen, mercifully.

Here's to a swift recovery!

[Darth Nostril]

Fortunately Torbay hospital is right on the outskirts of the ugly tourist trap known as Torquay, and the new road from Newton makes it much easier to get to.

Wednesday I got my final diagnosis - classical Hodgkins Lymphoma, sub-type nodular sclerosing.

Friday morning had a meeting with the senior haemotologist & primary healthcare nurse.

Friday afternoon my first chemotherapy session. Only took a couple of hours, I was out of there well ahead of rush hour.
I reacted to the anti-nausea medication in a most unexpected manner - I got high as a kite. Which I'm not complaining about. (The only downside is I only had 48 hours worth of the stuff and now I'm crashing hard)

So far, apart from cottonmouth, no side effects. Early days still though.

[Broomstick]

I'm sorry to hear about your bad news, but best wishes. Chemo is hard stuff, that's for sure. Again, good luck and best wishes.

[JI_Joe84]

I am sorry to hear this.
My mom had cancer in her upper chest some where, she wasn't specific, seemed a bit embarrassed about it.
She beat it, it took weekly trips to a specialists about an hour away but it's gone.
Cancer can be beaten. It's doable. We might not have a single pill that fixes it yet but they are theuroly exploring every possibility though.
Please keep us updated, we will be you're moral support!

[Knife]

Sorry dude. Yeah fatten up a bit while you can. If they put you on RCHOP or BEOCHOP it'll take a toll.

[Raw Shark]

Fat and protein, and lots of it. Pemmican is a good option. Don't worry about your weight. You wouldn't look sexy in a pine box. You need strength and energy.

My Mom's beaten cancer seven times now. You'd need an aluminum bat and an act of Congress to keep her down. Good luck.

[Ubiquitous]

I'm wishing you all the best. xx

[PhoenixKnig]

Damn

[Darth Nostril]

Rather late update -

Finished chemo in November, had final PET scan in early January.
Reviewed the results with my consultant a couple of weeks later.

Complete metabolic remission.

Fuck you cancer, I win.

Currently got a part time job bar tending, to get me out and about and active.
Muscles and hair are growing back, I'm starting to look human again

[Themightytom]

Hell yeah!

[Eternal_Freedom]

Excellent

[Raesene]

congratulations !

[The Romulan Republic]

Congratulations!

[phred]

Congratz mang

[LadyTevar]

YAY! Glad you beat the bastard.

[Jub]

Glad to hear that you beat such a nasty disease. Here's to your never having to do so again.