Living with Lymphoma
in Health ·
I found out I was sick after feeling a lump on my neck. It started with an ultrasound and blood work, then things moved fast—CT scans, biopsies, scintigraphy... all leading to the final diagnosis. It turned out to be stage IIa, so not exactly catching it at the very beginning.
I did six months of chemo—six cycles total—with only one break because my white blood cell count tanked. After that, I had radiation for 25 days straight.
The side effects were the usual: vomiting, nausea, exhaustion. Money was tight, so I ended up rationing my Zofran since the hospital never seemed to have any in stock. My immune system was shot; every virus and bacteria under the sun decided to hit me at once.
I also had issues with the oral medications I was taking.
Lost all my hair. It eventually grew back.
Despite the mess, I think I handled it pretty well. I stayed on top of vitamins, drank various teas, beet and carrot juices, and overhauled my diet.
Now, I just go in for checkups twice a year.
Sometimes the paranoia kicks in. I’ll start hunting for new lumps or convinced myself I’ve developed a hundred different symptoms. But honestly, I’m just glad it’s behind me.
I'm happy to help your friend if she has more questions.
I did six months of chemo—six cycles total—with only one break because my white blood cell count tanked. After that, I had radiation for 25 days straight.
The side effects were the usual: vomiting, nausea, exhaustion. Money was tight, so I ended up rationing my Zofran since the hospital never seemed to have any in stock. My immune system was shot; every virus and bacteria under the sun decided to hit me at once.
I also had issues with the oral medications I was taking.
Lost all my hair. It eventually grew back.
Despite the mess, I think I handled it pretty well. I stayed on top of vitamins, drank various teas, beet and carrot juices, and overhauled my diet.
Now, I just go in for checkups twice a year.
Sometimes the paranoia kicks in. I’ll start hunting for new lumps or convinced myself I’ve developed a hundred different symptoms. But honestly, I’m just glad it’s behind me.
I'm happy to help your friend if she has more questions.