Just a brief hello from a newly diagnosed Lymphoma patient, just starting the journey, a well worn path for so many of us. I'm 65 years old, living in East Anglia with my wife and I have three grown up children living in the area. I've even got 5 grandchildren, how did I ever get so grown up?
Had a painful upper arm for a few weeks, back and forward to the GP while everyone collectively shrugged their shoulders and said 'I wonder what that is?' My arm got bigger and bigger, painful and sore during the day, but dam painful at night. Ultrasound, MRI, AT scans and PET scans, then one day in March the consultant orthopaedic sat me down and said the words...I'm sorry to tell you that you have cancer. Whom me? That can't be right....I've got a sore arm, that's all. My brain just shut off after that, because of Covid I was on my own at the hospital, so whatever the doctor said after that I just heard 'Blah, blah, blah....have you any questions?' I didn't hear anything after 'You have cancer'. So I went home to pass out the good news. What kind of cancer and what stage, everyone asked? No idea, says I.
Fast forward a month and I have High Grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma, specifically Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. I'm gob smacked. How can this happen?
I've started on steroids, and will be starting on R-CHOP chemo in a few weeks, on my 66th birthday, to be specific.
I'm feeling shell-shocked, obviously very worried about what might happen, but now that its upon me then there's only one possible thing I can do, and that's to try and stay positive, take the treatment and play the odds. This type of cancer is treatable, and with a fair wind and the best the NHS can do for me then I'll come out the other side.
One day I'll look back on this and laugh, eh? So let's see.....
PS....the steroids have reduced the swelling in my arm after only a few days treatment, and its nowhere near as painful at night, so I'm getting some kip. Progress already.....
Hi Conundrum1956 and warm welcome to the Macmillan Online Community although sorry that you had to find us and especially sorry to hear about your Lymphoma diagnosis.
I am Mike and I help out around our blood cancer groups. I was diagnosed back in 1999 with a rare skin Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma so have been on this journey rather a long time.
I see you have joined our Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. If you'd like to connect in with a group click on the Green link I have created above. Then once the page opens you can then introduce yourself by putting up a ‘new post’ by clicking in the box near the top right with + New or + (Depending on the device you are using) and you are ready to go.
You could 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 get back to me on this post and I will help you out further.
