I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma just 2 weeks after learning I was pregnant with my fourth child. I was able to have chemotherapy while I was pregnant, deliver a healthy baby and eventually graduate from Nursing School. Class of December 2011! I am now 13 years in remission and my little girl Gabbi is 13 old. This blog tells our story.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Fellow Hodgkin's Fighters
As a person who has fought Hodgkin's I know the battle. You hear a lot that it's a highly curable cancer with the right treatment and you also hear "If you get cancer, this is the one you want to get" which truly is an irritating statement while at the same time does offer some comfort I suppose. The statistics are fairly good but you still have cancer and you are still in pain and suffering. My husband and my children are the only ones who saw the full extent of my suffering. It wasn't good but I responded quickly to the chemo. The fear with the treatments available are the fact that there are more long term risks associated with it. So even though the cure rates are good there are fears of the treatments themselves causing yet another cancer years down the road. So my battle with cancer I hope is over but there is always that thought there.
I am sharing today other Hodgkin's Fighters. First of all is a blog I read all the time called The Journal of a Prizefighter. This is one strong man let me tell you and an inspiration at that. He has relapsed and then gone through transplants and other treatments to fight this disease that can be so not the cancer "you want to get". It was through his blog today that I found the blog of another Hodgkin's fighter. His mother used the blog to write about her son's experiences. It was posted today that he has passed away. He lost his battle. You can go here to offer your condolence. I think having a lot of replies to her post to show that people care would mean a lot. I know it would to me. Here is the link: Eric's Updates: Allogeneic Transplant for Hodgkins.
Thank you all for checking out these other Hodgkin's blogs. I come across many noteworthy ones out there in the blogging world. I find others who seem to have fought even harder than I did, pregnant or not. I have found a lot of comfort and strength through other's words and I feel that is why I am out here too! I want to give even one ounce of hope to someone else fighting this battle.
Others that have traveled in your footsteps know the fight that takes place. It's good to lean on each other. Excellent.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day Sandi. :)
Thanks, Sandi, for your gracious words.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have your blog on my blog roll. Do you mind if I add yours?
Thanks again and keep blogging! :)
That would be wonderful Duane. I have added you to mine as well. I was hoping when I wrote this today on the spur of the moment after reading your blog post that everything was accurate. If not please feel free to let me know. :) I get your blog posts in my e-mail and do enjoy reading.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. I'll post soon. :)
ReplyDeleteGood. I'm thrilled that you're doing okay as per the last post, and I'll go over and read the others you've linked...although doing so might make me cry.
ReplyDeleteIt also makes me think my blog is uh, lame. But that's okay as it beats having to deal with what these others have too. I'll take lame any day. :)
Hi! I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's at the end of May. I started blogging to keep some friends updated, but now I have a little bit of a following!
ReplyDeleteI hope that everything is going well for you - I'm going to start following you & get some inspiration for myself!
Good luck with the future, and you write beautifully!