With my cancer management plan in place, life settled into a routine of quarterly blood tests and physical exams, punctuated by an annual PET scan to track the subtle nuances of my Mantel Cell Lymphoma (MCL). In the realm of watch and wait for MCL, the general trajectory tends to usher most into actual treatment […]
Chapter 6: Watch and Wait Read More »
Now armed with an official staging, it was time to formulate a plan. My Oncologist presented a decision matrix, considering factors such as my age (58), overall good health, and Mantel Cell staging at 3, coupled with a Ki-67 exceeding 20%. The suggestion on the table: an autologous stem cell transplant. Quite the WTF moment,
Chapter 5: A Second Opinion Read More »
With the initial diagnostic tests behind me, the focus shifted to unraveling the stage at which my cancer stood. The bone marrow biopsy yielded a reassuring outcome – no detectable cancer in the bone marrow. Simultaneously, the PET scan showcased a lack of active cancer in major organs, yet pinpointed areas of concern, particularly in
Chapter 4: Stage 3 MCL Read More »
Once armed with the specific type of lymphoma, the natural next step was a rendezvous with “Dr. Google” – that phase where you voraciously search for every ounce of medical information about your condition. But here’s the thing about surfing the web for health insights: you’re swimming in a sea of data, some of which
Chapter 3: Dr. Google Read More »
Once the lymphoma diagnosis hit, it was a whirlwind of medical appointments, each aiming to unravel the extent of the lymphoma spreading through my body. First on the list was a sit-down with an Oncologist, who laid out the game plan and the battery of tests that needed immediate attention. All I knew at this
Chapter 2: non-Hodgkin’s Mantel Cell (MCL) Read More »
Back in 2016, mid-shave, I stumbled upon an unexpected guest on the left side of my neck near the collarbone—a lump the size of a nickel. A lump on the neck is bound to raise an eyebrow or two. Mine was soft and felt like a bubble in bubble wrap. Enter my annual wellness check-in
Chapter 1: The Lump Read More »