Iain, 30, is an archaeologist. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was diagnosed when he went to the local Accident and Emergency department with long-standing abdominal pain.
'My name is Iain and I have non-Hodgkin's follicular lymphoma. It's indolent so I must have had it for ages. I only found out when my spleen enlarged. My spleen was four times its normal size and became agony when I tried to sleep. I had also had night sweats for years; the bed was drenched, but like most people I wrote most of the symptoms off to stress, as I had family troubles and a bereavement to deal with.
'I went to the A&E department when the pain became unbearable and, thanks to the excellent staff at the hospital, they spotted what was wrong. After the bone marrow biopsy, I was told that the lymphoma was in the bone marrow, too. I have stage IVB lymphoma, but the treatments I am getting (chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy) seem to be working. My current treatment cycles will finish in a couple of months.
'I am relatively young for this disease: 30 years. The hardest thing was telling my parents and friends. The "C" (for cancer) word makes people fear the worst. But once I'd explained that it was indolent and gave my family the facts they felt better. Non-Hodgkin's indolent lymphoma is not in the same league as malignant melanoma or other aggressive cancers, so in a weird way I feel lucky that the cancer I have is so treatable. I have had almost no side effects from either the chemotherapy or the antibody treatment. I still work full time and have all my hair.
'I don't know what is going to happen in the long term, but I hope to be in remission by the summer. To anyone reading this who has just been diagnosed, I would say this: it's not as bad as you think. Non-Hodgkin's follicular lymphoma is one of the most treatable of cancers. Apart from 2 days a month (when you have chemotherapy and the day after) your life can be normal.
'I used to be terrified of cancer, but lymphoma can be easily overcome. I have nothing but optimism for the future, and so should everyone. I hope any people with indolent lymphoma realise that they can beat it easily. It sounds a total cliché, but a positive mental attitude really helps. You know you can make it, and you will. As cancers go, it's not "hardcore". Take your chemo and get on with your life. At work, I often forget I'm ill. Good luck, whoever you are.'
Share your story with others on lymphoma-net.org
|
