How it all began....
So.............to set the scene.........
Just before christmas 2005 I was going for a run one evening when I felt an unusual twinge in my side. It disappeared after a couple of minutes and I thought no more of it. The next day after going to the gym I started to get a lot of pain in my lower back and abdomen. Initially, I thought I'd overdone my exercising and pulled a muscle, but the pain got gradually worse over the next two days to the point where I was unable to lie down or sleep. My first trip to casualty produced a diagnosis of constipation.........so several packets of laxatives later I still had the pain but now accompanied by diaorrhea..............
My second trip to casualty was via the GP, and I was actually assessed by a surgeon and admitted straight away. I had hepatosplenomegaly - one of those classic medical terms which is actually a simple description in disguise - i.e. an enlarged liver and spleen.
They ran various tests on me including a very unpleasant CT guided needle biopsy on a mass they'd detected in my abdomen. It was this biopsy that confirmed their tentative, and at this stage unspoken, diagnosis of follicular lymphoma. Unfortunately for me I had to wait over the christmas holidays to get confirmation of this result, but at least I was well enough to go home...the pain having subsided after a week in hospital.
How did I feel at this stage?
Well..........ill (of course) and very frightened.............for more check out Bulletin One: January 2006
Just before christmas 2005 I was going for a run one evening when I felt an unusual twinge in my side. It disappeared after a couple of minutes and I thought no more of it. The next day after going to the gym I started to get a lot of pain in my lower back and abdomen. Initially, I thought I'd overdone my exercising and pulled a muscle, but the pain got gradually worse over the next two days to the point where I was unable to lie down or sleep. My first trip to casualty produced a diagnosis of constipation.........so several packets of laxatives later I still had the pain but now accompanied by diaorrhea..............
My second trip to casualty was via the GP, and I was actually assessed by a surgeon and admitted straight away. I had hepatosplenomegaly - one of those classic medical terms which is actually a simple description in disguise - i.e. an enlarged liver and spleen.
They ran various tests on me including a very unpleasant CT guided needle biopsy on a mass they'd detected in my abdomen. It was this biopsy that confirmed their tentative, and at this stage unspoken, diagnosis of follicular lymphoma. Unfortunately for me I had to wait over the christmas holidays to get confirmation of this result, but at least I was well enough to go home...the pain having subsided after a week in hospital.
How did I feel at this stage?
Well..........ill (of course) and very frightened.............for more check out Bulletin One: January 2006
posted by St. Lymphoma's Little Helper at Friday, April 28, 2006
1 Comments:
keep ranting Dave, saves taking out on loved ones. nothing to compare to what you are going through but bet it is very isolating. Don't let this rule your life, or the sickness will win and you will become more introverted and isolated.
what about compiling a 'best tracks for recuperation' cd?
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