What a Relief!

What with the delights of modern technology I had to wait a little longer for my scan results than I had expected, but I got them this morning. The results are good, the scan is 'clear' but not completely negative, the radiologist remarked that he doesn't think there is any active Hodgkin's presents...However there are always quirks! There are some areas of uptake which the radiologist referred to as 'brown fat'. Apparently some people, not many, have these active areas of brown fat which can show up on PET scans. Other indications that the cancer has gone are that there are no active areas in the lymph nodes or in the area that was a concern on the chest x-ray. My consultant also remarked that my lymph nodes had reduced in size from my last CT scan...all good signs.

I also had another bit of good news over the past few days...I entered the lymphoma association's photography competition 'Look at Life Differently' and although my photo wasn't in the top twelve entries they want to use my photograph on the back of their calender! This is it below. To see the winning entries click here.

It is funny how things happen, On Monday I changed my 'count down to last chemo' at the bottom of my page to 2 weeks, a day early! From today it really is two weeks...roll on the 11th September now!

A Better Second Week

Had a quiet week following chemotheraphy this time...just felt too whacked to do anything really. But I did have a much better second week. Wednesday I popped down to see Jen and RoRo. Rowan had his second photo shoot! Bit of excitement to the end of the day...Verity took Harvey out for a walk in the evening and when she came back said she had seen a snake! We all went back to the place where she had seen it to try and find it again, but nothing there. I walked a bit further along the bank and at the bottom of the ditch I saw it, it heard me shouting to Mum and V and quickly slithered up the other side of the bank so I only saw it for a few seconds...not long enough to capture it on the camera!

Friday was a good day too, caught up with some friends and then went out in the evening for Lucie and Ed's leaving due. First time I had been out in the evening for about a month. Friday was definitely a good day!

First Post :0)

Well this is my first post...

Have decided to start a blog after reading several inspirational blogs on the internet, and finding them helpful. It's something to entertain me as well, while I while away the days until my last chemo session...8th September!

To set the scene I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma back in February of this year and since then my life has changed dramatically. I had just returned from a years travelling back in November (photo - me and travelling bubs, taken last October on Whitehaven Beach, East Coast of Australia) and life couldn't have been better, it had been one big party since I had been back, going out every weekend and catching up with friends and family.

They do say cancer is a life changing experience and it definitely makes you see life differently. Funnily enough 'Look at Life Differently' is the title of the lymphoma associations photography competition this year.

What a good lead in, to allow me to tell you that I will be littering these blogs with 'pretty' pictures as since my diagnosis I have invested in an SLR camera and have been happily snapping away ever since!

This blog is designed a) as a way to keep those around me informed of my progress and b) provide an insight into living with lymphoma, to help those who have been diagnosed or for people who simply want to find out more.

If this blog just helps one person, it will be worth it. Happy reading :0)

A Day's Outing to Ascot

Saturday we had a day at Ascot, which was wicked. I have never been to Ascot and the stands were amazing. We had a box for the day which we shared with some of Dad's work colleagues and their families. The only down fall of the day was the weather. Master Mylo ran in the forth race. He did really well seeing as it was probably a race above his class. Of course I captured the day on film! Managed to get some interesting shots from the balcony of the box. Roll on Ladies Day next year!

Family shot before we left.

Master Mylo - pre parade ring.

Master Mylo after the race.

Cooling off after the race!

And some other shots of the day...

Sun, sun, sun :0)

Tuesday was the start of cycle six...could have been the start of the last cycle but that is not to be so still two more cycles to go. Chemotherapy went without a hitch.

Felt Ok after chemotherapy. Actually went out for the few days after, on Wednesday I met with Charlene and she was looking after Freddy and Thursday I met with Jen and baby RoRo.

The good times ended on Friday though when I woke up with another cold. Managed to drag myself to Rhythms of the World on Saturday which was a lovely sunny day, much like the rest of the week has been. Had to have a chill out day on Sunday though because it had worn me out.

Jaffa Cakes!

Second part of cycle 5 on Tuesday. All went ok. Felt very sick and tired in the evening but that was all. ABVD Cycle 5 - DONE!

Had another jewellery making session over the next few days. Then on Friday I made Jaffa Cakes, what a per larva...they were really nice but a bit of a nightmare to make, it wasn't as easy as they made it look on TV! Went down the pub in the evening to catch up with everyone which was nice.

Have been trying to go out on my bike a bit, seeing as the weather has been nice and it feels good to do a bit of exercise, granted I don't go far and it is bloody hard but it makes me feel better that I am doing something.

Had a photography lesson on Wednesday - thanks Karen. It was a lovely day so we went out side to take photos. Did a little exercise around the village, where by you can't adjust the lens of the camera, so to get interesting shots you have to get in close to things or bend down, stand up etc. It was fun and helped me realise there are so many shots out there!

Had a good weekend, filled with pubs and BBQ's.

Girlie Night and an Evening at the Races.

Have had a pretty productive week making jewellery. Have been making stuff for friends and family as well as for my aunts stall. Really enjoy doing it and now even have my own set of purple sparkling tools! In terms of side effects from chemotherapy I haven't really had any apart from feeling tired but that is it.

Friday night we went out for a girls night which was a really good laugh.

Monday evening we went to the races at Windsor to see Fixation and Kaijai race. It was a lovely evening and I managed to get some good photos.

A Little Bit of Strawberry Fairness!

Second of June and the start of cycle 5. It was mum's birthday yesterday so she brought in some chocolates for the nurses which went down well. Chemotherapy went ok. Saw my Dr and we discussed holidays, I asked how long I needed to wait before I went off for a holiday. He said 3 - 4 weeks and that Turkey was an ok destination, so now I can look at some and hopefully book something to look forward to.

The next day I didn't feel too bad so spent the morning with Bean and got some snaps of Freddy.

Saturday was Strawberry Fair, the day started off with the weather not being that great but it brightened up in the afternoon and I managed to catch the sun on my face. It was a great day with live music, a few ciders and a nosey around the stalls. Had a lovely day and evening...managed to last until about midnight!

A cold :0(

After starting off the week all productive with card and jewellery making, it ended in a cold! Friday woke up really bunged up and feeling s**t! On the plus side managed to get a far amount of 24 watched, working myself through the box sets! Felt better on Sunday and a visit from Sals and co cheered me up. It was a lovely day too, you could even say hot so we sat outside in the garden! Not one to complain about the weather but I hope it doesn't get much hotter, its not very comfortable wearing a headscarf in the heat.

The next week passed by uneventfully. Lisa had a party for her birthday on Saturday night, which I went too but was pretty whacked from the cold so didn't stay long :0( Never knew a cold could hit you so bad.

Not much else to report so some photos...

An Evening at the Races.

Monday evening we went to see Master Mylo run at Winsor. It was a beautiful evening. Got to go in the pre parade ring and see him get saddled up and then we were able to go in the parade ring with our owners/trainers badges! Met the jockey, who looked good in HG's silks. Master Mylo did really well and came in 5th. Not bad for only his second outing. Spoke to the jockey after the race and he was really chuffed with Master Mylo. Well done boy!

Had chemotherapy the next day - ABVD cycle 3 day 15 done!

A Breeze of a Cycle - Fingers Crossed it Lasts!

Plodding along until next chemo session, occupying my time with, visits from people, (thanks for coming it breaks up my days), cooking - attempted some pasta which tasted gorgeous but its not as easy as they make it look on TV let me tell you and photography, the subject this week was the frogs in the pond!


Had an afternoon out in Woburn on Saturday, it was a nice sunny day so the park was pretty busy, managed to take some good shots of the lions.

Tuesday another trip to the hospital for ABVD cycle 2 day 15! As we were driving over there my Dr rang me to check I was on my way, we weren't late of anything but he said he want to check I was coming because he hadn't heard from us in 2 weeks! The ward I usually go to was having some snagging done on it so I had to go to a different ward and it was all a bit chaotic, my Dr was on reception at the nurse's station when we arrived! Which could explain the phone call, he must have been bored!

Dr was pleased with my progress, he said he can't feel the lump on my thigh anymore and my stomach is returning to normal and doesn't look distended so he thinks my liver is responding as well. He thought as I had had a clear cycle this time in terms of side effects, the problems with the previously bad cycles were probably due to mass tumour kill. Also the PEG injection would have helped me feel better this time around. We discussed putting my PET scan back to just before cycle 4 instead of after this cycle because I had a CT scan not so long ago when I was in hospital.

Two good things when I got home from chemo, i) my flat screen TV and DVD player had been fitted in my bedroom - its awesome and ii) a letter from Benefits saying they would pay me the Employment and Benefit Allowance of £50 a week - better than a kick in the teeth!

Fingers crossed for another 'good' cycle.

The Time Between Chemo

• Thursday I had my first introduction to sickness, woke up at 5am feeling nauseous and swiftly put my travel bands on, managed to get back to sleep for a few hours before I woke up again, this time it was nothing ginger nuts couldn't cure (a Jill tip!). Spent the afternoon making a drugs chart, to try and keep up with all the tablets I have to take and when, I have a basket of pills!!! Appetite has certainly been better, being on the steroids.


• Friday had to go back to the hospital to have some bloods taken just to see how my body was responding to chemotherapy, its just this time I have to go back to the hospital as its the first treatment, after that I can just go to the GP for bloods which is closer. The run down to the hospital was OK dispute the snowfall the night before. Got perscribed more medication, more sickness tablets, stuff in case I got mouth ulcers because my mouth was starting to get tingly and constipation sachets! (some of the tablets bung you up!) Bit more of a disappointing day as I had to sleep again in the afternoon, but I did feel better in the evening (Leanne popped around and we pigged out on chocs!). My temperature although it rose a bit. wasn’t nearly as bad as it has been. Thank god the temperatures have seemed to have stopped.


• Saturday (Valentine's day) I went down to the pub in the evening to see friends, felt like ages since I have been out, was nice to be out and about, they all made me laugh! Didn't stay out too long as got very tired...and everyone was getting too drunk, hehe, its hard being sober when everyone else isn't!


• Sunday my back started to get very stiff again. I not suppose to take Diclofenic anymore with the chemotherapy drugs so I think that is why my back pain has returned! Rang my consultant about my back pain as the GP wasn't very sympathetic and arranged an appointment for Tuesday. A gentleman in the village popped around in the afternoon to give me a genealogy lesson, mum was hooked instantly and starter her family tree on ancestry.com, it is quite addictive, haven't quite got the concentration for it yet though.


• Monday night was another restless night, was in quite a bit of pain with my back and stomach cramps. Went over to the hospital Tuesday morning, and saw my consultant. Felt very emotional in the car, its seems I can't wake up without something being wrong, felt sick in the car too which wasn't nice. Saw my consultant, he said the lump on my thigh had gone down already which was amazing, he thought the back pain was the lymphoma flaring up as the chemo was fighting it and prescribed me some pain killers. The rash on my skin could be a reaction to the Bleomycin or because my immune systems was low, so antibiotics for that, going to have to redo the drug chart! Also got some tablets for my stomach cramps! I asked about my bone marrow results and he thought he would get them later that day, but he suspected it would be in my marrow. Came away with mixed feeling, yet more drugs and wondering what the implications were if it was in my bone marrow.

The day ended better though, finally got my new camera out to play with it, its awesome and my Dr rang while I was asleep to say my bone marrow was clear, yippee one bit of good news!

Spent the rest of the week playing with my camera, and had a photography lesson, doing the family tree and shopping (even out shopped Leanne, a sign of more energy)!



Monday I had made an appointment to have my hair cut short at the hairdressers, I thought it was the best thing to do as I know I couldn't bare pulling long strands out...Can't say I like it but people have said it suits me...We will see it probably wont last long.

So that was the two weeks between first chemotherapy and the second, hopefully we will be able to get the sickness undercontrol so I don't feel sick pretty much the whole time!

Ultrasound then Results.

After becoming very upset that I couldn't stand without being in pain for more than 10 minutes while observing Pilate's, Tuesday was the day of my liver ultrasound.

Wasn't allowed to eat anything before the scan but luckily it was an early appointment. Arrived promptly and was seen almost immediately. Had to change into the attractive hospital gown and then went into a side room which had the ultrasound equipment in it. A doctor performed the procedure, little complication at the beginning as the equipment wasn't set up probably which didn't please him! The squeezy get they use was warm!!! The examination took about 20 minutes, the doctor didn't say anything throughout, at the end he simply said that 'yes, the liver is most definitely enlarged and there are a number of lymph glands present in the stomach', he said there are a number of reason for this and that I would need further investigation, possibly involving a CT scan and a liver biopsy - scary! He would make sure his report was with the GP for my scheduled appointment on Thursday.

I came away with the conclusion that I still had a virus, because my liver was enlarged. Looking back now, the doctor must have suspected lymphoma then.

Wednesday morning, Mum and I went to photography our local church (didn't have my camera at this point so used Mum's) - Mum’s idea, an attempt to get me out and about. It was cold and sunny, we spent about an hour in the graveyard and I took over 100 photos!

Had an appointment with the Osteopath in the afternoon. Decided to stop treatment pending results of scan and on Dr Hoffman’s advice as remaining pain clearly wasn’t mechanical.

Saw GP on Thursday morning. He went through the results of ultrasound and explained they weren’t good, it showed an enlarged liver as suspected and glands in my abdomen. Although the last lot of bloods showed improvements the results of the ones taken on Monday were worse again. Knew in my heart they would be because I hadn’t been feeling right at all, needing to sleep for 2 hours every afternoon isn't normal.

Next steps - GP had already referred me to the Hepatology department at hospital, he said they are the best around to investigate what is going on and they will find out what it was. Asked what he suspected it was and GP said he suspected it was lymphoma, I didn’t have a clue what this was but he described it as being like leukaemia, which didn’t sound too good. The way my GP was being so sincere, I knew it was serious. Had to wait for the hospital to contact us which would be within 14days.

Looked up lymphoma on the internet and two words stood out cancer and chemotherapy.