Monday, May 31, 2010
Recovering from biopsy procedure
Just out of the biopsy procedure, feeling very average but comfortable. I was well muscled up in the op, with 3 drs and 3 nurses looking after me. Apparently the dr got 6 pieces of the lump and results are due next few days. My specialist is looking for a clearer pictire of the lump before starting treatment. I'm expecting to start chemo late this week.
Week 2
Monday
Its 8 am and I'm all organised for the day. Off to the SAN at mid-day, for a keyhole biopsy under a general. Might need to stay overnight, but hopefully all will go well and I'll be home later this afternoon. I have a bit of reflux today which is annoying, and apparently one of the symptoms I have been asked about in the past. The prednisone is disturbing my sleep, however I am feeling pretty good and have some errands to run this morning at Westfield.
Its 8 am and I'm all organised for the day. Off to the SAN at mid-day, for a keyhole biopsy under a general. Might need to stay overnight, but hopefully all will go well and I'll be home later this afternoon. I have a bit of reflux today which is annoying, and apparently one of the symptoms I have been asked about in the past. The prednisone is disturbing my sleep, however I am feeling pretty good and have some errands to run this morning at Westfield.
Technology test
I feel I am becoming more gen Y everyday! So techno savvy, this blog was sent from my phone device, how exciting ,,,, if it works!
Learnings in Week 1
Looking back over the past week, there are a couple of key take aways for me:
- Non-hodgkin's lymphoma is significant and treatable
- We have amazing family and friends who love and support us very much
- Insurance - two words "get it", two types "income protection and TRAUMA"
- "Hold your line" it's a bikers' saying from my harley riding days. Basically its about choosing a path and holding that path assertively. In life, I think this is true for helping relieve worry and stress from those around me, my immediate family see my confidence and reflect this back -particularly Jessica and Brookie
- Don't take it too seriously! Cancer is serious, and I'm happy for the Drs to do the serious stuff, laughing helps take the edge off (and so does a few G&T's I might add,,,,)
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Week 1
First thing Monday, I was at the GP's and lovely Dr Chang was in action, getting me a CT guided biopsy that afternoon, and an appointment with Dr Margot Harris, a haematologist at Hornsby. The CT guided biopsy wasn't that much fun, but the drugs that sedated me made it painless indeed!
Tuesday and Wednesday was spent waiting and de-cluttering the children's rooms and re-arranging furniture (thanks to mum and john for their help and support!).
Thursday was the day to speak with the specialist, at 3pm - so GT and I decided to do some retail therapy, see a movie (Robin Hood - it was pretty good) and have some lunch at the pub with a couple of white-wine chasers to settle the nerves.
Dr Harris, confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoma - and wanted to do more tests. Chemotherapy was on my next week's agenda. No operation is possible because of so many other vital organ's are in the stomach area, however this type of cancer does respond very well to chemo.
So Friday 28th May, at 9am I had the unpleasant experience of a bone marrow biopsy, where they juice-up the flesh on the hip with a local and ask you lots of questions about your kids, to try and distract you from the feeling that a cork-screw is being pushed in and out of your hip! All I can say is I have a whole new perspective AND empathy for children who suffer cancer and have to do that type of procedure. It actually really upsets me to think a little kid would have to go through that!
With a pain in my butt, I'm asked to roll over and give another three test-tubes of blood and high-tail it out of there to RPA for a PET (positron emissions tomography) scan. Reality starts to set in when you are sitting in a waiting room full of cancer patients.
After a while I'm put into a little room to be juiced-up with radioactive stuff, so the PET scan can be done an hour later. Although the first nurse couldn't get the needle into my arm and instead of just having another go - she decided to take 5 minutes to jiggle-wiggle it to see if she could "save it". I wasn't really impressed with this - you know how descriptive my body language can be - so in comes the next nurse who has another go, in another arm and gets it in first go. Thankfully!
Off GT goes to the pub, and I am left to sit and wait. (I love ipods!)
The PET scan took about 20 minutes, I think I dozed off. The whole event was painless. Off to recovery room for the best apple juice and cheese sandwich in town!
After that, GT and I were a bit stuck. Because I was still technically "radioactive" and needed to stay away from children under 5 and pregnant women so we decided to head back to Hornsby to see Dr Harris with our results. Which she had already received. I was met with the need for another test to be done on Monday. Apparently, although the PET scan was suggesting the "lump" is fast growing, (which is my gut feeling too!), the CT guided biopsy suggests was not. To get the cocktail of chemo drugs right, another test needs to be done - a keyhole biopsy - to ensure Dr Harris has a "complete" picture.
As I was still "radioactive", GT and I put our heads together and decided that the only real place to not be near children under 5 and pregnant women - was the pub. So off we went to the local Bowling Club for a couple of relaxing bevies, 5 G&T's for me - and I managed to take the edge off a very stressful week!
Saturday we had Rhys, Corynne and Zara to visit, caught up with Shona, Mark and the kids, Nana and John popped in briefly and so did Grant from the Rifle Range.
Sunday we are catching up with my Dad, Elaine and the family for Dad's fantastic wood-fired pizzas. We had a call from Ale in England - he has a terrible english accent for an argentinian! Dad's pizza's are fantastic and he has definately got it down to a fine art. Thanks to Jo and Tim for keeping my glass half full, and to Nads for visiting me after a hectic weekend of her own.
Tuesday and Wednesday was spent waiting and de-cluttering the children's rooms and re-arranging furniture (thanks to mum and john for their help and support!).
Thursday was the day to speak with the specialist, at 3pm - so GT and I decided to do some retail therapy, see a movie (Robin Hood - it was pretty good) and have some lunch at the pub with a couple of white-wine chasers to settle the nerves.
Dr Harris, confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoma - and wanted to do more tests. Chemotherapy was on my next week's agenda. No operation is possible because of so many other vital organ's are in the stomach area, however this type of cancer does respond very well to chemo.
Poppy and Vicki look after the Girls on Friday while I get more tests.
So Friday 28th May, at 9am I had the unpleasant experience of a bone marrow biopsy, where they juice-up the flesh on the hip with a local and ask you lots of questions about your kids, to try and distract you from the feeling that a cork-screw is being pushed in and out of your hip! All I can say is I have a whole new perspective AND empathy for children who suffer cancer and have to do that type of procedure. It actually really upsets me to think a little kid would have to go through that!
With a pain in my butt, I'm asked to roll over and give another three test-tubes of blood and high-tail it out of there to RPA for a PET (positron emissions tomography) scan. Reality starts to set in when you are sitting in a waiting room full of cancer patients.
After a while I'm put into a little room to be juiced-up with radioactive stuff, so the PET scan can be done an hour later. Although the first nurse couldn't get the needle into my arm and instead of just having another go - she decided to take 5 minutes to jiggle-wiggle it to see if she could "save it". I wasn't really impressed with this - you know how descriptive my body language can be - so in comes the next nurse who has another go, in another arm and gets it in first go. Thankfully!
Off GT goes to the pub, and I am left to sit and wait. (I love ipods!)
The PET scan took about 20 minutes, I think I dozed off. The whole event was painless. Off to recovery room for the best apple juice and cheese sandwich in town!
After that, GT and I were a bit stuck. Because I was still technically "radioactive" and needed to stay away from children under 5 and pregnant women so we decided to head back to Hornsby to see Dr Harris with our results. Which she had already received. I was met with the need for another test to be done on Monday. Apparently, although the PET scan was suggesting the "lump" is fast growing, (which is my gut feeling too!), the CT guided biopsy suggests was not. To get the cocktail of chemo drugs right, another test needs to be done - a keyhole biopsy - to ensure Dr Harris has a "complete" picture.
As I was still "radioactive", GT and I put our heads together and decided that the only real place to not be near children under 5 and pregnant women - was the pub. So off we went to the local Bowling Club for a couple of relaxing bevies, 5 G&T's for me - and I managed to take the edge off a very stressful week!
Saturday we had Rhys, Corynne and Zara to visit, caught up with Shona, Mark and the kids, Nana and John popped in briefly and so did Grant from the Rifle Range.
Jessica, Brooke and baby Jacinta.
Sunday we are catching up with my Dad, Elaine and the family for Dad's fantastic wood-fired pizzas. We had a call from Ale in England - he has a terrible english accent for an argentinian! Dad's pizza's are fantastic and he has definately got it down to a fine art. Thanks to Jo and Tim for keeping my glass half full, and to Nads for visiting me after a hectic weekend of her own.
Dad and Elaine, with Pizza
Tim, Michele, Jo and GT
Tamara, Jessica, Brookie and Kirsten
Michele and Nadine
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The beginning
Just after our return from Lindeman Island, on odd occassions I felt a little twinge in my left hand side, particularly when rolling over to snuggle into bed for the night on my right hand side. It felt like something moved, but I couldn't feel anything particularly.
Off I went to Darwin for work, and started to feel that I was bloated and had a "full" stomach, didn't matter much whether I was standing or sitting at that point. I had a poke around when I was lying down and felt a lump. I assumed it was "over-indulgence" and possibly an inflammed bowel as I wasn't feeling bad - no symptoms of anything else what-so-ever.
I got home late Wednesday night and went off to work on Thursday as normal. But during the day I was feeling a little uncomfortable again, like I was "full" and there was a more consistant pain up under my ribs. Thursday night, my tummy was still feeling tender so GT suggested I see the Dr.
Friday afternoon at the GP's, a large lump was confirmed and it was preliminarily diagosed as possibly enlarged spleen and blood tests were ordered for that night. However, by about 10pm I wasn't feeling comfortable so my GP suggested I go to ED and be observed until results of the blood test could be obtained.
Saturday morning, xrays then a CT scan was done and I was admitted to general ward to wait for the on-call specialist, who confirmed that it was lymphoma "significant but treatable" were the exact words.
That was the beginning ,,,,,,,
Off I went to Darwin for work, and started to feel that I was bloated and had a "full" stomach, didn't matter much whether I was standing or sitting at that point. I had a poke around when I was lying down and felt a lump. I assumed it was "over-indulgence" and possibly an inflammed bowel as I wasn't feeling bad - no symptoms of anything else what-so-ever.
I got home late Wednesday night and went off to work on Thursday as normal. But during the day I was feeling a little uncomfortable again, like I was "full" and there was a more consistant pain up under my ribs. Thursday night, my tummy was still feeling tender so GT suggested I see the Dr.
Friday afternoon at the GP's, a large lump was confirmed and it was preliminarily diagosed as possibly enlarged spleen and blood tests were ordered for that night. However, by about 10pm I wasn't feeling comfortable so my GP suggested I go to ED and be observed until results of the blood test could be obtained.
Saturday morning, xrays then a CT scan was done and I was admitted to general ward to wait for the on-call specialist, who confirmed that it was lymphoma "significant but treatable" were the exact words.
That was the beginning ,,,,,,,
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