4 year follow up

I have my 4 year follow up today. 

This is how it goes with the timeline (at least for me): 

Treatment:

• Diagnosis (Sep 2012)
• Start Chemo (Oct 2012)
• End Chemo (March 2013)
• Rest before Radiation (April 2013)
• Radiation (April 2013)
• Rest (through July 2013)
• Back to work (July 2013)

Post Treatment:

• 1st + 2nd year from diagnosis: CT scan every 6 months, Dr. Visit every 3 months (Sep 2012 - Sep 2014), and 2 PET Scans for diagnosis and remission status.
• 3rd year from diagnosis: CT scan every 6 months, Dr. Visit every 6 months (Sep 2014 - Sep 2015)
• 4th year from diagnosis: CT scan 1 time a year (I had an extra CT Scan due to lung nodule), Dr. Visit every 6 months (Sep 2015 - Sep 2016) 
• HERE ON OUT 5th YEAR:  1 CT scan, Dr. Visit every 6 months (Sep 2016 - Sep 2017)
• 6th year:  I'm cured.  No more CT scans.

What that means:  I only have 1 more CT scan left to do, and only have to see my oncologist 2 more times.  Then no more checkups with an oncologist.  I do however, require an annual check up with my general practitioner doctor for routine blood draws.... though I haven't seen him in like 3 years, given that I've been to the doctor more than more people will ever see in their lives in the last 4  years.

My scan results today:

• "Nothing remarkable" ....which sounds kinda sad, but is actually good.  

I apparently am just fine with my health and not having cancer.  Yay.

After the next year, I should be fine.  Though the chance of having cancer goes up in about 20 years from there (when I'm 58), due to the chemo + radiation I received, but given medical research: that can go down quite a bit, but only if research is happening.

I also saw my old retired primary nurse today.  She's back in while the new head nurse is out for the next month. It was good to see her again.

Here's my (usual) exchange with my doctor today:
Dr: Looking good.  Has it been really 4 years?  That long?
Me: Yeah.
Dr: Well, you only have 1 more CT scan, ever. However, it will be with another doctor.  I'm retiring at the end of the year.
Me: What are you going to do with retirement?
Dr: Travel, while I'm not too feeble.

Though I have 2 art degrees, I work in medical research support (prior to my diagnosis actually).  People I know from "back then" who say, "why don't you try teaching or blah blah?"  Because I'm pretty good with what I'm doing.  I kinda hit a wall with the self-centered art thing, and I like what I do.  I still do that "art thing" on the side, but: I like what I do and what it ultimately means.

I recently took a trip to California, and Tahoe. It was a good "mancation" with old friends of mine from grad school. I needed a vacation, and to almost have a heart attack going up 1300' feet in 1/4 mile.

Those Seattle legs provided a lot of glare

I also saw one of my old grad advisers while in California, Mike Henderson. He used to keep some of my art up in his studio, they were gone when I visited.  His reason:

"I used to have your art up in my studio, old print proofs I pulled out of the trash of your studio one day. Then I heard you had cancer a couple of years ago, and I thought to myself that I didn't want to disrespect you with putting up something that you didn't want to be seen, so I took the prints down, and tore then up, and decided if you got better, you could just give me something to replace it that you liked." 

Well, I suppose I should give him some stuff.

Cat photo (because that's why you actually come here, it's the internet, it's okay). My friends' fat skeptical cat:

Spots on lungs + 3 1/2 years down, 1 1/2 to go

Spot on my lung followup:

So, as follow up to my last post regarding my pulmonary nodule at the top of my lung on the right side, which is where I had my radiation therapy so I had to do the standard follow up, to ensure that it's not cancer caused by the radiation therapy (it was clearly not from a lymph node, so it was not Hodgkin's Lymphoma):

• Waited 3 months (Dec 2015 - March 2016), to see if the nodule grew or went away.  Grow = bad, stay the same/go away = good
• No CT contrast to slurp down, since it's a plain CT scan of only my chest, though I still have a IV contrast while in the machine

They have stylin' chairs in the waiting room now

The nodule was originally 6mm, and it's stayed the same size, but has gotten more transparent, which basically means it's dissipating and may disappear all together on my next scan. It was probably caused by some sort of respiratory infection like pneumonia.

I'll have to have another scan in 6 months (Sep 2016), since the nodule is still there, though should disappear or be much smaller, but that's my next regular scan anyway. If my scan in September is good, that means I won't have to have another for 12 months until Oct 2017, and that will be my last scan all together at the 5 year mark since diagnosis and means that I'm cured.

My oncologist was reviewing the scans before the radiologist finished the report, but we knew what we were looking for.  Then just as my appointment was about to finish, he's scrolling through the slices of my body, and says "hold on... what is that?"  On the scan there was a very-very bright spot in between my lung and heart on my right side, about the size of two to three inches. He then asks me if I still have my port installed, I don't, it's been out for about 3 years now. Then he start muttering and going through all of the possible things he's looking at trying to figure out what it it is.  

The reason why he asked me if I still had my port in, was because only metal would show that brightly on a CT scan.  He then checked the scans going front to back, and found that it was actually much bigger and longer, like a long piece of alien-organic shaped metal winding from my diaphragm to my shoulder.  So then after a couple of minutes, he says "I think it's the contrast that they injected you with, and they just started the scan a few seconds too early so it's concentrated and in your system instead of more spread out."  

Doctor: "I'll just wait for the radiologists report to come in and if it's something of concern I'll give you a call, otherwise I'll see you in September."

Me: "I... uh... alright?"

I eventually got the report and per the radiologist: "nothing remarkable. Follow up in 6 months."  I've found radiologist to be the most dry and non-plused of all doctors encountered, they're like the HAM radio enthusiasts of the medical world (the most hilarious are always pathologists).

I had also sprained my knee and told my doctor, and added "it's probably not within your specialties."  He said "hey... you never know." 

3 years since finishing chemotherapy 

It's been 3 years since I finished chemotherapy.  So I treated myself and went on a 2 day hike of the Olympic peninsula. I went to Hurricane Ridge, and Rialto Beach at La Push (no, don't even think about it).  I snowshoed on what is probably one of the last days to snowshoe of the season.  I only have 1 1/2 more years until I no more regular scans and checks, Wendy and I might go someplace internationally at that point to celebrate.

That guy (still with hair)

Eh, the view is alright I suppose

3 Year Update

Whoooo- it's been awhile, but I suppose that's good.

They put up tinsel, and the fire has been "burning" for like 3 years now 

Slightly over 3 years since diagnosis, when I hit the 5 year mark in 2017 I'm considered to be "cured."  

Today was supposed to be the milestone of clean CT scan = only 1 CT needed a year with 2 doc visits a year for the next two years (instead of multiple scans a year).  My results show a clean scan with no enlargement of lymph nodes, or anything out of the ordinary....

Except for one tiny thing: the radiologist found a small 6mm pulmonary nodule on the top right of my lung, which is not a lymph node and has nothing to do with my cancer history of Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Basically it's a tiny spot on my lung that showed up on my CT scan, which actually isn't even a big deal as they're caused by a wide variety of things like having or have had a bacterial + viral infection (colds, pneumonia etc), and a wide variety of random reasons. They can also disappear about as quick as they appear, or just stay there doing nothing, they're are common enough that they appear in about half of all CT scans preformed and smokers always have multiple nodes show up. 

So what's the catch if it's not a big deal? Given my history with cancer: I have to get another scan in 3 months at the end of March, instead of the intended Dec 2016, just to see what the pulmonary node will be doing then.  I was hoping I would be done with my friend the magnetic tube for awhile, ah well.  Though bright side: I won't need to drink contrast to see my lymph nodes as my lymph nodes look fine (citrus still remains my "favorite," avoid mocha-chino if they try to push the flavor on you, it's a trap because no one ever picks it and they're just trying to get rid of them), so it will be just a plain CT scan of only my chest to check on my lung.

So in March 2016 after my scan:

• If it's still there: no big deal
• If it's gone: no big deal
• If it's doubled in size or new ones around it pop up, which is highly unlikely but means it's some sort of lung cancer

Doubling in size/spreading is unlikely given my medical history, though I did have radiation therapy applied around there but typically pulmonary nodes show up right after radiation treatment and within typically 24 months from treatment- and I'm about 30 months out. So I basically just have to wait until March 2016.

My doc was not particularly worried, given that they're common in scan, but due to medical history has to take all of the proper precautions.  Though he was the most animated I've ever seen him when he asked "what are you going to do for the new years?"  I told him get together with some friends and have a southern dinner, as my friends wife is from the south, and we've seem to have done southern dinner for the last few years after new years. My doc got super excited, asked what we were having then told me about the vacation his wife and he were going to go on in the summer to do the Mississippi Culinary Trail and do some sort of culinary road trip.  He was pretty stoked, "I love southern food... it's not good for you, but it's pretty great." Dude was on the verge of drooling.  I was pretty hungry at that point too, but I had sushi for lunch instead.

Also, cat:

"what.. why... off-OFF!... I guess this is my life now"

Continuing Check Ups

I am now 2 1/2 years out, since diagnosis, and a little under 1 year since remission.

When I went into my last appointment check in, I waited in the waiting area.  The front desk girl was still there, and as per usual she never forgets my name (though I'm pretty sure that she has a list of the patients that are coming that day under the counter, but I'm fine with that).

While I waited, there was a code blue  while I was waiting, which means someone went into cardiac or respiratory failure.  Immediately, the code blue response team showed up.  The eventually left, and I assumed the person in need was taken to the ER via internal access.

So then I waited... for at least an hour.  I figured they were busy, with a code blue etc.  I had assumed it was a patient that had an issue... until the head nurse came out, and told me I'd have to reschedule.  My Dr was the one who needed the code blue. I wasn't sure what to say, then the nurse offered up "how about we do your blood work and schedule?" Me: "Uhh... okay?"

I rescheduled 2 weeks later. 

When I eventually say my doctor, Dr: "this is odd... why did you do your blood work 2 weeks ago?  Normally that's done same day as I see you?"  Me: "Well... uh, you were pre occupied... as they called a code blue on you when you collapsed."  Dr:  "... was that 2 weeks ago?  AH, yeah it was. It not so good when the patients I see are seemingly in better health than I am." (He had a kidney stone, and collapsed from the pain. He's not a spring chicken).

I've hit the miles stone of "you've been so far okay, let's see you in August, and then do a scan in December.  If then you're okay after that scan at the end of the year, you won't need a scan after this, and I can see you 2 times a year for a couple of years, and then you're 'cured.'" 

SO:  If it get to the end of the year with not problems, I won't have to have another barium milkshake flavored by someone who has spent their entire life in a lab and doesn't know what "citrus" tastes like (I assure you sir, it DOES NOT TASTE LIKE THAT).

Life note: Wendy and I had our 4th "we've-been-together-and-we're-kinda-married-close-enough-I'm-a-godless-west-coast-atheist-whatever-with-labels" anniversary a week ago.  We celebrated at Rock Creek (great fish).

Awe, eating fish and being cute.

If people still read this:  I highly recommend, rather than blowing money + giving to shitty charities: give to cancer research as a whole, either lymphoma, breast, or basically any other, because really, if we can spend 4,000,000,000,000 on the military and only 4,000,000,000 (that's 4 trillion vs 4 billion)- that's kinda fucked up.

... I'll post a photo of cat next time, if you donate.

1 Year Post Treatments

A couple of weeks ago I had my 1 year anniversary from finishing all of my cancer treatment.

In the past few months, I've slowly regained my stamina and energy, and have improved greatly.  I'm not quite 100%, but I'm about 90% the way there.

I have another CT scan coming up in June (and 4 more years of check ups before I'm pronounced "cured"), and it should be like my last one: NED (No Evidence of Disease).

Critical notes:  

• They have a new barium CT contrast flavor!  CITRUS.  I imagine it will taste like it was made by a guy who has never left a lab his whole life who tried to to make something taste like "citrus" from having it described to him.
• My hair this past couple of weeks has finally returned to it's pre-cancer form, part in the middle and all.

My closest friends threw me a 1 year post-cancer treatment party.  It was great.

Cancer SMASH

Babies everywhere

Appropriate

 Get out of here

 A VERY old obscure joke between friends

 They needed a break too

 I stole their pictures for the blog (I hope they don't find out)

 She wished me a happy birthday about 4 times

"Here's your cancer cake! ...that... name doesn't sound right" 

Still a nope

Birthday + Radiation Updates + History

I had my birthday this past Saturday:

 Wendy made a Chocolate Peanut butter Cheese Cake.

I got my Margaritas.

 Also my fajitas I wanted... which were burrito sized.

Also gifts.

Radiation + Updates:

I meet with my excellent new doctor- a radiation oncologist, and went over a consultation this past Friday. The hospital I go to has a brand new as modern as can be Cancer Radiation Center.  Many people have misconceptions on radiation therapy- it's not like it was 40 years ago where they did full on mantle radiation where they would blast your entire upper body with radiation, as they didn't have PET scanners or CT scanners in the 1950's and 60's. (however, it's still practiced today- but only in extreme cases with very advanced cancers).  It's an incredibly precise field of medicine.

I have my PET scan on Tuesday, which will determine the state of any cancer that's left, which I'll then review with my Regular Oncologist on Thursday, and meet with my Radiation Oncologist that afternoon.  Most likely my PET scan will be negative for disease given with the way I've responded to treatment, which means I'll have 17 days of radiation therapy- M-F every day for about 15 minutes (very short compared to ABVD chemotherapy). If there is still a little sign of disease  then I will get 20 days of radiation.  If there is a large amount left, which neither doctor thinks there is, then I will have to do 2 more months of ABVD chemotherapy and then probably 17-20 days of radiation after that.  Obviously I'd prefer to have no sign of disease.

What I'll be doing when I meet with my Radiation doctor on Thursday will be quite a bit:  

• CT scan, which they'll use in conjunction with my PET scan from before I started treatment, and the one I will have on Tuesday- and they line them up in their computer and the radiation oncology team decides what the best angle of treatment is for the radiation beams.  The oncology radiation team is made up of my radiation doctor, 2 radiation techs, a physicist, and a radiation diagnostic tech.  Which is why it takes 3 days for them to make the radiation plan- as they're pretty precise, I was quite amazed at their level of detail.
• Be fitted for a cradle for my Radiation therapy, it's Styrofoam/foam filled sort of material that shaped for my body/neck, to keep me in one position everyday I have treatment.
• Be fitted for a protective mask, which is made out of a plastic material that they soak in hot water which become flexible, and wrap it around my face until it sets.
• Get tattoos for where they'll need markers for where to aim for during radiation therapy.  They're very tiny blue dots.  Since I had some swollen lymph nodes on my jaw/head, they make the marks on the mask and cut holes out where they need to get at- instead of you know, tattooing my face (as much as I'd like to go back to the office  with facial tattoos).
• I'll be given an aloe vera  gel to put on the areas where I'll be getting radiation.
• Then I can go.
• I should start radiation therapy around the middle of the week around March 20th and be done around mid April.  After that I have to recover from Radiation for about 3-5 weeks, hopefully not more than that. I should also recieve ANOTHER PET scan and see how radiation went.  I won't be deemed officially in remission until the Scan after that- which would be around mid July, but from my reaction to the end of radiation- they can make an educated guess about it.

For newly diagnosed people, as I'm sure you've heard from countless others: radiation is MUCH easier than chemo (although everyone is different).  The hardest part I was told, was that you have to come in EVERYDAY Monday through Friday.  Which is a bit harder if you have kids, or are working, or you know- 80 years old.

I'll be doing about 3 1/2 weeks of radiation (most likely).  The side effects I can expect for my treatment are:

• Week 1: Not much, but the other weeks might start a little early at the end of this week.
• Week 2: Start to get a sore throat/discomfort.  Possibly a slight cough.
• Week 3: I'll have  a bit of dry mouth, Biotene will help.  Because of where I'll be getting my radiation therapy (clavicle, upper center chest in the center, small bit of my arm pit on the right side, and neck) my lower salivary glads will be affected.  Or as my Radiation Oncologist said "kind of a bat-sign symbol shape."
• Last week and a half: The hair will start to fall out from the lower back of my head, as it's too close to my jaw line.  Which is fine, as my hair is about 1/8" right now.  I'll also have  a "sun burn" from the areas of radiation I'll receive. I might have a bit a fatigue  but nothing like chemotherapy.

Other notes:  

• The cancer in my chest is on the right side of my heart next to my lungs, which is good, because if it were on the other side my left ventricle would be in the way- my doctor liked that as it there will be no radiation exposure to my heart.  
• There will be a small amount of radiation exposure to my lungs though- hence the cough, and it will leave scar tissue in my lungs..  However, my doctor tells me I won't notice, as it's a small amount of lung- and even if I were a professional athlete I wouldn't notice the difference as humans only ever use a small portion of their lungs.
• My risk of secondary cancers is quite low, as my stage of cancer is fairly early, and I'm over 30.  The risk for secondary cancers caused by radiation therapy is higher among younger people- which Hodgkin's Lymphoma is much more common (ages 16-24, mostly in men).  It's a higher risk as their chromosomes aren't quite finished forming, where as mine with my age are.  If I do develop a secondary cancer- it would most likely be a skin cancer (in 20 or so years), which would be highly treatable.
• For the sun burn areas, I'll have an aloe vera gel to put on everyday.  DON'T use hand lotions in the sun burnt areas, or scented soaps.  Use only soaps like Ivory, and the aloe vera gel.
• I'll have dry mouth as the salivary glands in that are responsible for the moisture in my mouth will be effected, however the salivary glads that are responsible for saliva while I eat (which are more near your cheeks, and won't get any radiation) will not be affected.
• Also per my doctor: "eating  a bunch of Doritos if your throat hurts is inadvisable."
• I'll have to get my thyroid checked out annually for any problems, which isn't a big deal.
• It's kind of a drag to have to get up and go to treatment every day for only about 20 minutes, the drive there takes longer than the actual treatment.

Radiation really isn't all that scary, also my hair (minus the back bottom of my neck) will continue to grow during treatment.  As with anything- if you have questions about your own treatment, ask your radiation oncologist at anytime- as you're the one paying him (via health insurance or large sums of money from being independently wealthy).

History Time (via blog summary):

Hodgkin's Lymphoma is one of the oldest medically studied cancers in the world.  It's also one of the first cancers that was met with successful treatments.  

Before 1950- it was a 100% fatal disease.  

Through research, radiation was found to kill the cancer cells, and that's when full on body radiation was done- which for the first time patients were becoming cured, although at a rate of about 30-60%.  Patients though experience severe side effects from radiation.

About that time- chemotherapy was being developed, and the first chemotherapy for Hodgkin's was formed.  It was highly toxic and and didn't increase the survival rate much, but lowered the amount of secondary cancers and future side effects.

Then in the mid 1960's in Italy, ABVD chemotherapy was developed.  It's used today in the majority of early to mid Hodgkin's lymphoma patients.  It was in a pretty rough form of treatment,  used in combination with radiation treatment.

Over the years, research has been refining treatment to be less toxic and have less side effects. Today Hodgkin's Lymphoma is one of the most highly treatable cancers, with survival rates very high, and low toxicity.  It's continues to be refined today through medical research... which if you're interested in, you can donate money for research to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society here, or any other cancer research here as well.  The medical knowledge doesn't just happen, it takes time, bringing highly skilled people together, and money to do so.

Drugs! ABVD Chemo Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

I start ABVD Chemotherapy tomorrow, for my first treatment in cycle 1.  I have 4 cycles (4 months), which is 2 treatments per cycle every 2 weeks.  2 week break after chemo. Followed up by 4 weeks of radiation treatments.

Chemotherapy is the term for drugs used to treat cancer, but depending on what type of cancer you have- the drugs (and side effects) vary greatly.  ABVD is the typical chemotherapy regiment used in treating Hodgkin's Lymphoma. 

If you're newly diagnosed, you probably found this site doing a search, and have no idea what chemotherapy entails, and what you do know unfortunately comes either from TV, or seeing a family member go through it with a different form of cancer- no one wants to go through chemo  but ABVD is not a "waste away" type of regiment, it won't make you a bed ridden mess who can't see sunlight for 8 months. No one wants cancer, but the cancer you have- if you had to pick one, it's the one to have.  The treatment side effects are relatively minimal compared to other chemo treatments, and the success rate is very high.  Let me go in depth into what it is; ABVD stands for the names of the drugs and the order they're given in (hence why they're not in alphabetical order):

Technically- there's 6 drugs +  a couple of tests + things to do before starting treatment;

• Sit in a cozy reclined leather chair.  As it typically takes 3 1/2 hours to administer ABVD.  I'll have plenty of snacks (sour candy!), lunch (or breakfast depending on the time of day you get treatment), water (ALWAYS bring water with you), even coffee (I'm a coffee fiend), books, and a smart phone with internet- so I shouldn't be bored. I start at 10 AM, and should be done about 1:30 PM. 

• Blood Tests: Since I have that easily accessible port in my chest, they will begin with doing a routine blood draw.  To check for a multitude of things, mainly: platelets, red blood cell levels, white blood cells, and a few other tests.  Mainly to see how I'm responding to treatment side effects and getting a baseline before treatment starts.

• Pegfilgrastim:   Is a drug to stimulate white blood cell growth in the body, to fight infections etc, as during the ABVD treatment, the immune system becomes weakened (which is how it works).  Typically given via IV during treatment.

• Anti Nausea Medication:  There's a couple of drugs I could possibly get.  As one of the major side effects of ABVD is nausea. ABVD targets fast growing cells within the body and kills them- which is basically the cancer cells.  However- other "fast growing" cells within the body are hair cells (why hair falls out with chemotherapy), and stomach lining which causes nausea. Also- taking anti nausea drugs AFTER you're nauseated isn't the way that works, it needs to be taken before (if you were wondering).

• Adriamycin: The nurse "pushes" it, meaning it's slowly injected into my IV port.  It's BRIGHT red, and you can imagine what color my urine will turn after that, which I'm told causes no problems- other than shock value (don't worry I won't post pictures of that).  It's the drug that hits the cancers cells the hardest, and is used in many other treatments of cancer like breast cancer.  One of the side effects of it- it will give you a bad taste in your mouth.  MANY people have told me: do NOT eat anything you like on treatment day, or a couple of days after- as it will taste horrible, and you will forever associate that food with chemo.  Many people have ruined their favorite foods for life because they didn't take that advice.  So newly-diagnosed-person: eat things you don't care about the day of and 2 or so days after until you feel better.  Seriously.  During treatment, bring a hard sour candy to suck on- helps with the taste.

• Bleomycin: or “Bleo” as people call it. It's also pushed via syringe. It's clear, and VERY rarely people have an allergic reaction to it, so the nurses will test out a small dose to see if that's the case before proceeding. It can cause some pulmonary lung problems in some people, but that's why I'll have constant pulmonary function test to see if my lungs are okay during treatment. My anesthesiologist was impressed by my lung capacity during my lymph node biopsy, usually they have you count down from 10, I never got there as I took a DEEP breathe and was out immediately (I was told he giggled at that, as it doesn't happen often)- so I'm pretty healthy and my lungs are great.

• Vinblastine:  Most people do not have a problem with it, and it's also pushed through a syringe.  It has no side effects during administration.  It could have possible side effects to the nerves later down the line, but it's the "easiest" to take.

• Dacarbazine: This is the worst (and saved for last) drug to be administered. It's administered via an IV drip, and takes at least an hour to administer fully. However I have a port, so it should speed things along. This is what causes the nausea. Having that anti nausea medicine will help GREATLY with this drug.

Also new people: If you are given the choice of a port or no-port, take the port. Sure it's weird having a thing in your chest, but your arm veins will thank you, the nurses will thank you, and it will speed up the whole process in general- as no one wants chemo treatments to be longer than they have to be.

After treatment- you're free to go!  And yes, you/I are certainly capable of driving after.  The night of though, and about 2-4 days after:  You'll/I'll have nausea, fatigue  because of the lowered white blood cells- once the start generating again after those few days, you'll start to feel better.  Think of it as "one week down, one week up" cycle.  Because when you're recovered from treatment, it's time for the next one.  As treatments go on, the "down" lingers a little longer.  After 6-8 treatments many patients hit a wall, however- I only have 8 treatments, so I shouldn't be too bad off.  Oh yes- your/my hair will fall out slowly over treatment.  Many people shave their heads, not because it all falls out- but because they're shedding everywhere and look mangy, in other words: it's annoying to leave it in and better to just chop it.  I'll post about hair loss in the future (I plan on getting mine cut very short soon).   It should be mentioned- that ALL of you hair will thin, eyebrows, eye lashes- the whole bit.

For me personally- I'm healthy (all of my blood levels are in the exact median- whoo-hoo!) and young (33... that's "young!"), so my side effects from treatment shouldn't be too rough, and side effects should be minimal. However: EVERYONE is different, and side effects are too.  You/I will just have to see how it goes during treatment.  Age and general health are key as well.

Oh and a cat.  This is Elli (Miles is the other one).  She's my... "simple cat."  Here she is doing her Jabba impersonation:

What's all of this business about?

This is my first blog post- chronicling my treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  Oh and Cat photos.  Probably a little bit of everything else as well (didn't you read the title?).

Back about a month and a half ago I went to my doctor for a swollen lymph node, and spent about 5 weeks getting inconclusive results on what it could be.  Fine needle aspirations, CT scans, right down to finally a lymph node biopsy 10/09/2012 which is the only way to tell if it was indeed a lymphoma.

So I was finally diagnosed on 10/15/2012 Monday late morning.  Which really strangely, was a relief, as I finally knew what was going on.

I meet with my cancer specialist, an oncologist, on 10/19/2012 Friday, where he laid out my prognosis and treatment plan:

I have Stage IIA Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which means I don't have any major symptoms; drenching night sweats a fever that won't go away, or loss of more than 10% of my body weight.  It's also in an early stage, and is highly treatable.  I'm lucky that I have a thorough Doctor, and a great hospital network at Swedish, so I was able to catch it very early on.  Hodgkin's is a pretty slow growing cancer, so a lot of people don't go to the doctor to get it checked out until they have severe symptoms, and the cancer is already wide spread.  Although many people who have it in an advance stage- are still highly treatable.  It's a sensitive cancer that reacts well to treatment.

My treatment is going to be 4 months (8 cycles, 1 cycle every 2 weeks) of chemotherapy, starting Nov 1st.  Specifically ABVD treatment.  Followed by a 2 week rest, and 4 weeks of radiation therapy.  Then it's a PET scan to see if any cancer remains, if there's none: remission!  And about 5 years of checkups, just to make sure it doesn't come back- and if there's no sign, I'm cured. The success rate is about 85-95%. With my age, good health, early detection- I'm on the high end of that scale, and the side effects of chemo should be more tolerable.

I'm a pretty "let's do this" A-type personality, so I'm pretty driven.  Compounded by a great hospital system, kick-ass insurance, a work place that is letting me take extended medical leave + securing my job while I'm away, and having a large network of the best friends anyone could ever have, and the most amazing girlfriend ever- I'm set.

One of the reasons for making this blog:  When I was diagnosed I scoured the internet for info, and found a TON of support forums, and many individual blogs chronicling their experiences with cancer- which helped me out quite a great deal.  So I'd like to put out my own into the pool as a resource, for those who need some help + info for when the get the bad news from their Doctor, and hopefully give them the same relief knowing what to expect.

Oh and Cats: