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Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma  Some have asked...others quietly wait for me to say something. It's okay either way. A few months back Rosie mentioned it in one of her blogs. Sweet Rosie. Before Christmas I commented on Dallas' blog about my #2 (in birth order) 's positive attitude. Lady A gave me some food for thought. Sweet Lady A. Today I'm willing to talk about it. My #2 in birth order but in no way #2 in my heart, has Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She has a name...actually her name came about because her father wanted to name her after a tv star and I DIDN'T! I think Tina Louise was not a great name!  So I named her Kristina!! She's always been my "rock". She would drop everything and run to my side when I needed her during my (now deceased) s/o's long illness and 2 liver transplants. (Keep in mind that his transplants and subsequent medical care was in Madison, WI for 6 months in 2001 and 10 months in 2005-2006 and she lived in the Detroit area).I've gone through the gamut of emotions ~~ and I'm not even the patient. I know, I know, she has a 77% chance of being cured. We are grateful for that. It still does not take away the pain of chemo that she must endure. She has chemo every other week (she's had 5 treatments to date) and will have chemo until July 2009. At that time her condition will be reassessed. She is in extreme pain ~~ pain that the doctors can't seem to get under control. She has chest pain that is unexplained. She is miserable. As a mother I want to be able to fix what is wrong but I can't. She is frightened. I am so freakin' angry I can hardly contain my emotions. Me ~~ the person with the positive message attached to her every blog entry ~~ I'm allowing negative thoughts to control my thinking. My question to y'all is, do you know any positive stories about Hodgkin's Lymphoma that you could share?  The positive is there. Sometimes it's just hard to find. |
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1/16/2009 12:36 pm |
RRH: I don't have any personal stories, but can tell you from a professional aspect that I saw MANY, MANY cancer cases involving ppl who had been on disability and had improved so much that their benefits were discontinued and we are talking ppl who should have been long gone!...Soc Sec has the toughest disability requirements of any disability program, and for one to be granted benefits basically means that they were very severe with a bleak outlook, if not considered terminal, when they were allowed benefits....I always tell ppl that every case is unique, and that survival rates are just a generality, and to never give up!....my positive thoughts are with her....thank you for your blog....bob
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You are both in my heart, thoughts & prayers my friend...... Some believe in destiny, some believe in fate. I believe that happiness is something we create 
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My huby was dianosed with kidney cancer and geiven three years to live. IF he did the agressive midical thigs. He did. A year later they were dumbfounded at the test results. He stayed on medicines for another 6 mos...just to reassure the docs. He died 16 years later from another completely differnt reason........doctors are notthe final say on what happens to us. Many many hugs and prayers go out to you and yours. God does not bring us to things that He can not bring us through.
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RRH, your daughter is in my thoughts and I truly hope her pain is eased quickly and has a full recovery. I'm sure your anger is spawned from not being able to help your child when they hurt...I wish you relief from that anguish... Any Fool Can Criticize and Complain...and Most Do...
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Sorry that your daughter is going through all this, it is not a good place to be , not being able to fix whats wrong .. but as you say she has been your rock, I am sure she feels you have been her rock also, so as hard as it is to see our children hurting, we have to stay positive and grounded for them .. Big Hug for the both of you ... take care... Red ...   Being human is difficult,.... Becoming human is a life long process,.... To be truly human is a gift........
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1/16/2009 2:50 pm |
Prayers to you and your daughter Red. I'm a mom, I know how how to pray. Blessings for you both.....stay strong. Like you can take da girl outta Pittsburgh, but don't even try to take Pittsburgh outta da girl
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1/16/2009 8:52 pm |
All I can offer are my prayers which I do! Hope and a Positive attitude go a long way in handling any Cancer my Ex Sister In Law has Liver Cancer Metastasized from her former breast cancer, she has a lot to handle, but says she refuses to die! I believe her!
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1/17/2009 1:45 am |
Hi Red: So sorry to hear about this. When I was in treatment recently, one of the lymphoma patients (Dave) was having a stem cell transplant. He had been very ill for five years, very bad prognosis, and had many years of different chemo combinations. There was a lot of preparation for the transplant including knocking out Dave's own immune system a few days before by taking all these expensive drugs, locating a donor and getting the transplant material here by plane (the only suitable donor was from Asia). The day of the transplant, a helicopter landed on the hospital roof with whatever it was that was being transplanted. The transplant itself was done by injection. The day after the transplant Dave was feeling fine for the first time in years, and was discharged. Therapeutic stem cells transplants have nothing whatsoever to do with fetuses, abortion, babies, or religion. Maybe the U.S. government wants people to think this, because they are very expensive to do. Obama said on CNN yesterday that of course he is in favour, and that he has the backing of both Congress and Senate and will let them work on new legislation. Good luck to your daughter.
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Hi RRH, One of my brother-in-laws was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage 2 and underwent chemotherapy. Now 5 years later, he has been pronounced as cured. Another also had cancer (I don't know the type)and the doctors said the prospect was not good. He was not able to walk and had to sit in a wheelchair. That was more than 6 years ago. Now, although they say he has not been cured, he can even drive and is busy running his laundry business! Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
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I forgot to mention that the picture I placed in this blog is a picture of my daughter, Kristina, and my granddaughter, Lakelynn. It was taken in early November '08 before Kristina's chemo treatments began. The positive is there. Sometimes it's just hard to find.
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