Prizes – Show Her What She’s Won!

Today has been a nearly constant parade of new faces, new terminology, and new news. You’ll be delighted, as was I, to learn that I do not have prostate cancer.  I understand it can be quite unpleasant, so I’m much relieved.  Although we still do not have the final, final pathology report, the process has moved along to provide many answers.

The diagnosis is Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma – Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). If you want to learn anything about NHL, a respected resource is the National Cancer Institute.

A few encouraging words:

• The chemo regimen for it is fairly well tolerated
• Survival rates among all lymphomas are 80-90%
• 60% of patients go into remission after the first round of chemo – a ‘round’ would be 6 cycles  (cycle = a day of treatment followed by a 21-day break)

There are several sub-types of NHL, and we’ll learn over the next few days which sub-type we’re dealing with, but the next steps recommended, and the treatment, are fairly standard for all types.  Both radiation and chemo are planned.

• I’ll have a bone marrow biopsy done tomorrow or Friday (I could go home an hour later…)
• More blood tests tomorrow, and an echocardiogram
• I may be able to get one dose of radiation to the spine tumor before discharge, for pain control
• I’ll have a PET scan while I’m here, or shortly after my discharge

The Physical Therapy guy was here this morning with new exercises to strengthen my legs and upper back. I’m also walking ‘around the block’ – around 600 steps – 3x day.

SO! This has just about been the busiest day I’ve had in a looong time. I’ve found all the news quite tolerable, and although I’ve been waiting patiently, I was getting weary of ‘no news’. I’m really looking forward to being home.

My sister, Jeanne, and I have been doing a lot of laughing since she arrived on Monday evening. It really is the best medicine. We like to remember a story that brings both laughter and gratitude – I wrote a blog about it a couple years ago – Do You Have a Crack in Your Windshield?  

I haven’t seen my car in a few days, but I’ll bet I don’t have a crack in my windshield. 🙂

Published on CaringBridge.org — October 26, 2016