Living with Cancer (from Cancer Survivors)

This is proposed as an extension to the thread Cancer Survivors, which is currently being closed due to length, yet there is still much to say.My previous opening post said:

quote:

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My name is Paul Smith
I'm 59
I have Follicular Lymphoma
and I'm a survivor

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Here's an update for my 'icon' self:

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Links:
Welcome lymphomation.org - BlueHost.com
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/.../TypesofNHL/Follicular
http://pleiad.umdnj.edu/hemepath/follicular/follicular.html
What Is The Diagnosis and Staging of Follicular Lymphoma?
Follicular Lymphoma | Lymphoma Survival Online Community

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lymph -noun

1. Anatomy, Physiology. a clear yellowish, slightly alkaline, coagulable fluid, containing white blood cells in a liquid resembling blood plasma, that is derived from the tissues of the body and conveyed to the bloodstream by the lymphatic vessels.

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I was first diagnosed in September 2005, and underwent chemo-therapy for 4 months, 6 sessions every 3 weeks. This reduced the lymphoma to baseline levels and I was declared in remission.

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The correspondence on that thread have been very therapeutic for me, and I would like to thank again all those that have posted there.There are a couple of things I would like to correct\update there:I am now 65, and I am not really a survivor ... yet.I'm back in treatment once again, and it is a rather intense\invasive\whelming, with one week in hospital, one week of continued effects of the chemo and one week to recover strength and blood counts etc before starting again. This is now the 3rd of 6 rounds of treatment, and it won't really cure me, just knock it back into relative remission for an indeterminate amount of time.My form of cancer is incurable at this stage of medical knowledge, so in reality I am living with cancer as part of my life. This has been going on for 7 years now, and with treatment can go on for many more years. Hopefully a cure can be found before too long, or I die of natural causes due to other body function loss, many years down the road (dad lived to 91, gramp to 96, it's potentially in the genes ... ).But there are also other people that are living with cancer, not just those of us (especially those that have posted on the other thread about their cancer) currently undergoing treatment, but caregivers, family and friends that live with the effects of cancer on their lives and demands on their time.So I've expanded the coverage to include all these people.Enjoy and thanks.

From the other thread, just before closing: Damn onifre. Another one. What kind? What treatments?Let us know your progress -- we care.Enjoy (?)

Curiously I've been humming that tune for a week now, and couldn't figure out why ...Keep us posted eh?Enjoy.

Well I just had an interesting time ... my port started leaking blood all down my right side, and a small panic with the nurses and interns over the cause. Seems they were a little over concerned about blood clots and had thinned my blood too much - I was also bleeding back out of a needle location. That is all cleared up now, and I am back on schedule to get out of hospital on Thursday, starting the recovery process at home.Overall I am in better shape than the last round, having learned how to control some of the side effects to minimize them, and I look forward to seeing how this affects next week as well.This is the third round of six, and it looks like my biggest concern at this point is not having the last round interfere with voting in November.Enjoy.

Hi Razd and others,Glad you started a new thread.I am doing good. I had my third of 12 treatments last week and side effects are manageable. Some first bite pain cold sensitivity while actively on chemo and for a few days afterwards. Worst effect is the fatigue. I spend my unplug day and the day after (every other Fri and Sat) dozing on the couch9.Best news is I'm back to work. I came back this past Monday and have had no problems putting in 9 hour days. I am totally ready for jammies and couch by the time I get home The only reason I'm putting in longer days this week is to help cover some hours next week when I won't be able to work the whole week.I'm still in the midst of some fear for the future and for my kids but it gets better every day. I believe the doc is going to check my CEA marker again next week, hoping it continues to go down.~~ Asgara
A Pain In My Ass | my journey through colon cancerEdited by Asgara, : switch to non admin mode

Good to know Asgara,ps -- what about promoting this? We now have a new member, omnifre, who might like to comment ... Keep strong and rest when you can. Cat naps at work can do wonders.Enjoy.

Thread copied to the Living with Cancer (from Cancer Survivors) thread in the Coffee House forum.