Hello,
Yesterday, my dad told me he’d finally been diagnosed with lymphoma after months of waiting following the removal and testing of a lymph node. I didn’t really react at the moment but now it’s hitting me.
I’m scared more than anything. My dad was sick enough without having the cancer and I’m scared it’s going to mess up his current treatments for other issues. When he first got the symptoms and had the biopsy, I kind of accepted that it was cancer of some sort but as time went on and we didn’t hear anything, I got hopeful that it wasn’t. Told myself it was an infection or a symptom of one of his pre existing conditions. For reference, my dad got his biopsy done in July, a week before I graduated from university, and only found out yesterday that he has confirmed lymphoma.
He didn’t go into details regarding the type or stage, whether because he doesn’t want me to know or he doesn’t know himself is unclear, but just knowing it’s official and that my dad, the best man and father in the world, has cancer is devastating.
He has a hospital appointment on the 22nd of October, which feels so so far away considering how little we know. I assume they’ll tell him them exactly what we’re facing.
I feel sick thinking about it. I don’t want him to suffer anymore than he already is, and I feel like I know too much and not nearly enough. I don’t know if my brothers know yet.
Does anyone have any advice on what to expect or how to cope?
Hi miloray and very warm welcome to the Macmillan Community although I am sorry that you had to find us and especially sorry to hear about your dad’s Lymphoma diagnosis.
I am Mike and I help out around our Lymphoma groups.
I was diagnosed way back in 1999 at 43 with a rare (8 in a million) incurable but treatable type of Cutaneous T-Cell NHL (a type of slow growing Low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma)……. eventually reaching Stage 4a in late 2013 when a second, also rare (4 in a million) type of aggressive Peripheral T-Cell NHL (a type of fast growing High-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma) was then presenting so although my Lymphoma ‘type’ my be different from your dad I most definitely appreciate the challenges of this journey rather well……. I was also diagnosed with Asbestosis in 2012 and Prostate Cancer this April past.
There are over 60 types and sub-types of Lymphoma so we can’t have a group for every type but these are our main Lymphoma groups below.
General Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma
These groups are safe places to talk to others with a similar diagnosis, treatment experience, to ask questions and get support from both parents and caregivers.
Have a look at the group list above…… then click on the link that best fits your dad’s type of Lymphoma……. and when the group page opens you will see a [Black - Click to Join - Banner] at the bottom of the page, click in this box and this will then confirm that you have joined the group.
When you are ready……. you can introduce yourself by putting up your very own post by clicking [+ Create new post] or [+] in the top right of the group page.
You can copy and paste the text from this post into your new post.
I will keep an eye open for you but if you are not sure what type you have pleased do get back to me on this post and I will help you out further.
