Been a fun 6 weeks. Bit of bad news has come my way, on 3/12/12 they found some nasties when I was being CT scanned for another issue. Enlarged lymph nodes and 2 liver lesions found incidental to the scan for kidney stones. My GP said to me straight out (without any further checking or tests) you have Lymphoma. He gave me lots of info and advised me to sign onto the Liverpool Hospital Cancer Centre immediately and arranged an urgent appointment with a liver guy too. Anyway, appointments, blood tests, scans and node biopsy done by 19/12/12 and then I am contacted by a hematologist who advised he has set a review appointment for 4/1/13 - he did say he would call me before then if there was any major issues but the CTC at liverpool was closed from 24/12-2/1. Saw him on the 4/1, nice guy - very gentle and ernest. However he had indifferent news for me. On one hand he has advised me I do not have Lymphoma (YAH!) - what I do have is a malignant carcinoma tumor (BOO!). Once again, cant give me any other info as he is the Lymphoma guy not the Carcinoma guy. I now have to wait on an Oncologist to call me and make an appointment with me. Lots more tests and waiting. The Oncologist's office called me Monday 7/1/13 and said an appointment had been made for me at 08:45 the next day as he needed to see me ASAP (I didn't like hearing that at all - especially as he doesn't normally see anyone until 09:00) - anyway went in and got the three words you never want to hear from a cancer dude - rare, incurable and aggressive. I have a neuroendocrine tumour. I have a raft of tests to get through in the next couple of days and I start chemo on Monday 14/1/13. They think/hope they have got it early as this type of thing makes you pretty crook normally and I had not been overly unwell. Just a sore neck and some abdominal discomfort/pain. They say there is a 70% chance the chemo treatment will shrink the tumour and put the cancer to sleep (it will never be eradicated).
10/1/13 - Things took a bad turn today and I have been hospitalised immediately after my PET scan. The cancer is right through my spine neck and skull - it has almost completely disintegrated the C3 vertebrae in my neck - I am in a neck collar now for life. They threw me straight into the chemo today and they want to observe me in hospital for a few days. My odds havent changed but there is just more of it to fight now. I'll do my best to fight it with everything I can muster. Anyway, I'm gonna overcome it - I have to think of ways to cover this bloody neck brace up with - perhaps a big spinning bow tie!
... Time to see what sort of fight I've got in me ...
