I discovered a marble sized lump back in ~September 2021 while at the gym. At the time I never thought anything of it, I remember joking about it with my partner. As a non-smoker, light drinker, and generally healthy eater, cancer wasn’t at the forefront of my mind.
By November, it was a little smaller than a golf ball, and a bit of research indicated Lymphoma, although I showed no other symptoms (night sweats, itching, weight loss, etc). I was extremely lucky to get a doctor’s appointment quickly, after which I was sent to the hospital for tests. The next week or so waiting on the results of this was frustrating. I was fairly confident in my self-diagnosis and was anxious to start treatment. It was therefore strangely a bit of a relief when the results showed Classic Hodgkins Lymphoma (blood cancer which manifests in lymph nodes).
It was at this point I told my partner and family. For me, the impact on my loved ones was the hardest part of the process. I felt a tremendous amount of guilt for putting them through this kind of upset. A quick google of the first question to everyone’s mind shows “the five-year survival rate is generally high, with estimates often around 80-85%”. This isn’t great ammunition to comfort someone who doesn’t see 80% as particularly high and focuses on those five years*!
*From my understanding, “five years” isn’t necessarily a diagnosis of time left, but more to do with the data getting muddy after this due to other causes of death etc.
Over December and January, I had a surgical biopsy and several scans, both to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the stage, and corresponding treatment. This confirmed activity across my chest and lungs, which put me at Stage 4A.
In February 2022 I started six rounds of ABVD chemo, which involved a four-hour visit to the hospital every two weeks for IV infusions. The next few days would always feel like a bad hangover. Over the six months, I lost my hair and gained two stone. No doubt a harrowing preview for my partner of what she has to look forward to looking at…
I was lucky to have a lot of support from my partner and family, but don’t like to accept help, and hated being treated like I was sick. One thing that helped was a note from BOSIET training, where we were told if someone’s panicking, to give them a bucket and ask them to bail water. Letting those around me help, such as by giving me a lift to the hospital, felt like the best way to help them cope emotionally.
July 2022, I was declared cancer-free. To date, I still have biannual blood tests and check-ups, and I’m still diligently checking for lumps and bumps. Some authorities would consider someone “cured” after five years with no recurrence, but I’m confident I’ll still be catching my partner inspecting my neck when she thinks I’m not looking long after that!
TL;DR: It can happen to you! 50% of people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, but it’s not a death sentence, and no reason to bury your head in the sand. Be proactive and remember there’s a wealth of resources and support.
• Check for lumps, bumps, and irregularities.
• Contact your doctor right away. Don’t wait until it can’t wait.
• Look after yourself. Keep up a healthy lifestyle and wear sunscreen!
