I've had a lot of people ask me recently about how I learned that I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Am I in pain? Did I just start feeling bad? Well, the answer to both of those questions are no. No, I am not in pain (luckily) and I did not start just feeling bad. I am actually pretty lucky that I caught it when I did. So here is my story and my timeline in case you were curious. Hold on tight because it is a pretty long journey that all happened pretty fast.
Tuesday- April 17th, 2018
Some of you may or may not know that my mom and I have season tickets at the Fox Theatre. We love going to see plays, so the season tickets normally let us have a mother daughter date night once a month. The play that we were going to see was Something Rotten! This is the first play that we had been to since I had started my new job closer to home. We left right at 5 and were on our way down. With Atlanta traffic, we weren't sure if we were going to able to get down there like we usually do and have dinner before the play. By some miracle, we got to downtown Atlanta within an hour. That never happens. We decided to go get a glass of wine and an appetizer before heading to the play. As the play went on, the knots in my neck, or what I had thought were knots in my neck, got more and more uncomfortable as we were sitting there. This had happened to me a couple times before, but it was worse than usual. I really did not think that much about it though. I assumed I probably just needed to go to the chiropractor and get them worked out. Nothing too unusual for me.
Wednesday- April 18th, 2018
After the play yesterday, I decided I needed to go to the chiropractor. I was going to try to go to the gym and then maybe see if i could go to the chiropractor afterwards. My trainer was unfortunately not able to meet me at the gym that night, so I decided to call my chiropractor on my way home from work to see if there was any chance I could fit into his schedule. They told me 5:50 and I thought that was perfect and then I'll go on a run when I get home. I got to the chiropractor and told him that I had a glass of wine the night before (it was only one, I promise) and that the knots in my neck were pretty uncomfortable afterwards. Being an athlete my whole life, I did not think much of having a few little knots in my neck. After he adjusted me, he looked at what I thought were my knots and told me that they were actually my lymph nodes and I should probably get them looked at. So I went home and told my parents that my chiropractor told me the knots in my neck were actually my lymph nodes. My dad asked how long I thought they were knots and I couldn't tell him exactly. I said probably a couple of months at least. I told them I would make a doctors appointment next week and I could get them checked out. Well, next week was not a good enough answer to my parents. They told me to call first thing in the morning to get an appointment for that same day. Then I got a little worried. So what did I do? Of course, I googled the symptoms. Pain with alcohol? Well, that's either alcohol intolerance or Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Uh oh this isn't looking too good. Swollen lymph nodes? Well, that's either mono or lymphoma. My odds were not starting to look too good.
Thursday- April 19th, 2018
I get to the office and have to tell my boss of less than 2 months that I need to go to the doctor. My boss is the absolute best, so I knew it would probably be okay. I was still freaking out a little bit. I knew exactly what I was going to say and I planned it all out. So I went into her office and this is pretty much what I said: "so I need to go to the doctor because I googled some of the symptoms that I have and I think I have lymphoma." Yes Samantha that went really well. That was not what you were supposed to say at all. Way to go. So of course being the amazing person that she it, she was concerned and told me to do whatever I needed to do. So I called right at 9 to make a doctors appointment and got an appointment for 10:30 that morning. How lucky am I? My mom told me she would come with me and pick me up from work. My first thought is that I am going to be the lame 22 year old with her mother at the doctors office. Let me tell you.. I am so glad that my mom was there with me. I got to the doctors office and they called me back. Of course I told the nurse that I had googled my symptoms and they most likely thought I was crazy. Then the PA walked in and started asking me all of these symptoms if I had had any of not. They all lined up with lymphoma. That's what I get for googling my symptoms. They then proceeded to do blood work for mono, thyroid and white blood cell count. Then they sent me to the hospital to get a CT of my neck and chest and get a biopsy of my lymph nodes.
Once I get to the hospital I checked in and waited in the Radiology room until they were ready for me. They sent me back to get my CT and then told me to go back to wait to get my biopsy. The doctor pulled me and my mom out of the Radiology room to tell us that it is quite odd for them to get an ASAP biopsy the same day as a CT before I even got my mono results back. They asked me if we still wanted to go ahead and of course I said yes. So he then pulled me back into a room a little while later and I slightly felt like I was on an episode of Grey's Anatomy. They asked me if it was okay to have an intern to watch and I said that was fine. I should've said no because this girl made me CRY. They numbed me and then were waiting on the pathologist and the intern was told to watch me (like I could move anyways..). This girl then proceeded to tell me that no matter what my friends and family would be there for me. I didn't even know if I had cancer and this girl was over there making me feel like I was going to die right then and there. It was not good. So finally they came back in (to save me from the horrible intern) and had to get the biopsy. They really struggled to get a core sample. After stabbing my neck 8 times later, they finally got 2-3 core samples and were good to go. Somehow the entire day had gone by and it was 3:30. I finally got back to work and realized that the cleaner they used on my neck made it look like I had a really bad fake tan... on only half of my neck. It was not my best look. They did tell me before I left that they would get me the results of my biopsy by tomorrow. Hopefully it wouldn't be at the end of the day.
Friday- April 20th, 2018
Have I mentioned that I have the best boss ever? She sat with me all day and told me that it was going to be okay. Every time a doctor called, she was right there for me. I cannot ask for a better boss. We sat with my phone by me the whole day. We went out to lunch to get my mind off of the fact that I hadn't heard anything and that I could potentially have cancer. Around 2, I finally called in to see if I could get my lab results. The doctor called me back to give me my results a few minutes later. Mono? Negative. Thyroid? Nope. White Blood cell count? 19 (the range is 4.5 to 10.5). They gave me a name of an oncologist and told me I should probably go ahead and set up an appointment. They basically told me that I had cancer without telling me that I had cancer. So I called and set up my appointment for the next week. It was now 3 and I had not heard back from the pathologist. So I got impatient and called the hospital. They told me he would review as soon as I could, but to call back in 45 minutes. So I call back in 45 minutes and find out that he is reviewing it, but cannot tell me over the phone. Well then why did I call back? I told them my doctor closed at 4 on Friday's and I needed to know if I had cancer before the weekend. Then I proceeded to call my doctor and tell them that they should see a fax coming back through. I get a call back and say that they might not be able to tell me before 4 if all the doctors had left. UM EXCUSE ME. You're telling me I have to wait until Monday to find out if I have cancer for sure? The doctor finally called me at about 4:15 and told me that it I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I texted my parents (sorry mom and dad) because I couldn't get myself to call them. I texted my boss and she came running to see me. Did I mention that I was going to drive to Auburn to see one of my best friends this weekend? So what did I do you might ask? I left work and drove to Auburn. No one else knows so I'm okay right? Well of course I got to Auburn and one of the first things I tell my friend at dinner is that I have cancer. Wow that sounds odd to hear. I have cancer. I think telling her made it more real.
I could bore you with all of the rest of the details of going to doctors ( I went to 2 oncologists Tuesday and Wednesday of the next week) and telling you about all the tests and scans that I had over the next week, but I won't.
So that's my story of how I found out I have Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Nope, I am not in any pain and I did not just feel bad one day and decide to go to the doctor. I just got really lucky to even be able to find out that I have cancer.
Love,
Sam
Tuesday- April 17th, 2018
Some of you may or may not know that my mom and I have season tickets at the Fox Theatre. We love going to see plays, so the season tickets normally let us have a mother daughter date night once a month. The play that we were going to see was Something Rotten! This is the first play that we had been to since I had started my new job closer to home. We left right at 5 and were on our way down. With Atlanta traffic, we weren't sure if we were going to able to get down there like we usually do and have dinner before the play. By some miracle, we got to downtown Atlanta within an hour. That never happens. We decided to go get a glass of wine and an appetizer before heading to the play. As the play went on, the knots in my neck, or what I had thought were knots in my neck, got more and more uncomfortable as we were sitting there. This had happened to me a couple times before, but it was worse than usual. I really did not think that much about it though. I assumed I probably just needed to go to the chiropractor and get them worked out. Nothing too unusual for me.
Wednesday- April 18th, 2018
After the play yesterday, I decided I needed to go to the chiropractor. I was going to try to go to the gym and then maybe see if i could go to the chiropractor afterwards. My trainer was unfortunately not able to meet me at the gym that night, so I decided to call my chiropractor on my way home from work to see if there was any chance I could fit into his schedule. They told me 5:50 and I thought that was perfect and then I'll go on a run when I get home. I got to the chiropractor and told him that I had a glass of wine the night before (it was only one, I promise) and that the knots in my neck were pretty uncomfortable afterwards. Being an athlete my whole life, I did not think much of having a few little knots in my neck. After he adjusted me, he looked at what I thought were my knots and told me that they were actually my lymph nodes and I should probably get them looked at. So I went home and told my parents that my chiropractor told me the knots in my neck were actually my lymph nodes. My dad asked how long I thought they were knots and I couldn't tell him exactly. I said probably a couple of months at least. I told them I would make a doctors appointment next week and I could get them checked out. Well, next week was not a good enough answer to my parents. They told me to call first thing in the morning to get an appointment for that same day. Then I got a little worried. So what did I do? Of course, I googled the symptoms. Pain with alcohol? Well, that's either alcohol intolerance or Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Uh oh this isn't looking too good. Swollen lymph nodes? Well, that's either mono or lymphoma. My odds were not starting to look too good.
Thursday- April 19th, 2018
I get to the office and have to tell my boss of less than 2 months that I need to go to the doctor. My boss is the absolute best, so I knew it would probably be okay. I was still freaking out a little bit. I knew exactly what I was going to say and I planned it all out. So I went into her office and this is pretty much what I said: "so I need to go to the doctor because I googled some of the symptoms that I have and I think I have lymphoma." Yes Samantha that went really well. That was not what you were supposed to say at all. Way to go. So of course being the amazing person that she it, she was concerned and told me to do whatever I needed to do. So I called right at 9 to make a doctors appointment and got an appointment for 10:30 that morning. How lucky am I? My mom told me she would come with me and pick me up from work. My first thought is that I am going to be the lame 22 year old with her mother at the doctors office. Let me tell you.. I am so glad that my mom was there with me. I got to the doctors office and they called me back. Of course I told the nurse that I had googled my symptoms and they most likely thought I was crazy. Then the PA walked in and started asking me all of these symptoms if I had had any of not. They all lined up with lymphoma. That's what I get for googling my symptoms. They then proceeded to do blood work for mono, thyroid and white blood cell count. Then they sent me to the hospital to get a CT of my neck and chest and get a biopsy of my lymph nodes.
Once I get to the hospital I checked in and waited in the Radiology room until they were ready for me. They sent me back to get my CT and then told me to go back to wait to get my biopsy. The doctor pulled me and my mom out of the Radiology room to tell us that it is quite odd for them to get an ASAP biopsy the same day as a CT before I even got my mono results back. They asked me if we still wanted to go ahead and of course I said yes. So he then pulled me back into a room a little while later and I slightly felt like I was on an episode of Grey's Anatomy. They asked me if it was okay to have an intern to watch and I said that was fine. I should've said no because this girl made me CRY. They numbed me and then were waiting on the pathologist and the intern was told to watch me (like I could move anyways..). This girl then proceeded to tell me that no matter what my friends and family would be there for me. I didn't even know if I had cancer and this girl was over there making me feel like I was going to die right then and there. It was not good. So finally they came back in (to save me from the horrible intern) and had to get the biopsy. They really struggled to get a core sample. After stabbing my neck 8 times later, they finally got 2-3 core samples and were good to go. Somehow the entire day had gone by and it was 3:30. I finally got back to work and realized that the cleaner they used on my neck made it look like I had a really bad fake tan... on only half of my neck. It was not my best look. They did tell me before I left that they would get me the results of my biopsy by tomorrow. Hopefully it wouldn't be at the end of the day.
Friday- April 20th, 2018
Have I mentioned that I have the best boss ever? She sat with me all day and told me that it was going to be okay. Every time a doctor called, she was right there for me. I cannot ask for a better boss. We sat with my phone by me the whole day. We went out to lunch to get my mind off of the fact that I hadn't heard anything and that I could potentially have cancer. Around 2, I finally called in to see if I could get my lab results. The doctor called me back to give me my results a few minutes later. Mono? Negative. Thyroid? Nope. White Blood cell count? 19 (the range is 4.5 to 10.5). They gave me a name of an oncologist and told me I should probably go ahead and set up an appointment. They basically told me that I had cancer without telling me that I had cancer. So I called and set up my appointment for the next week. It was now 3 and I had not heard back from the pathologist. So I got impatient and called the hospital. They told me he would review as soon as I could, but to call back in 45 minutes. So I call back in 45 minutes and find out that he is reviewing it, but cannot tell me over the phone. Well then why did I call back? I told them my doctor closed at 4 on Friday's and I needed to know if I had cancer before the weekend. Then I proceeded to call my doctor and tell them that they should see a fax coming back through. I get a call back and say that they might not be able to tell me before 4 if all the doctors had left. UM EXCUSE ME. You're telling me I have to wait until Monday to find out if I have cancer for sure? The doctor finally called me at about 4:15 and told me that it I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I texted my parents (sorry mom and dad) because I couldn't get myself to call them. I texted my boss and she came running to see me. Did I mention that I was going to drive to Auburn to see one of my best friends this weekend? So what did I do you might ask? I left work and drove to Auburn. No one else knows so I'm okay right? Well of course I got to Auburn and one of the first things I tell my friend at dinner is that I have cancer. Wow that sounds odd to hear. I have cancer. I think telling her made it more real.
I could bore you with all of the rest of the details of going to doctors ( I went to 2 oncologists Tuesday and Wednesday of the next week) and telling you about all the tests and scans that I had over the next week, but I won't.
So that's my story of how I found out I have Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Nope, I am not in any pain and I did not just feel bad one day and decide to go to the doctor. I just got really lucky to even be able to find out that I have cancer.
Love,
Sam
What an amazing woman you are! Love you!
ReplyDeleteYoure amazing!! Praying for you daily!!! You got this girl!!
ReplyDelete~ Beth M.
Praying for you and healing. My dad was diagnosed with Hodgkins 5 years ago. He went into remission, but it had returned on his first 3 month scan after his last treatment. We thought we had lost him. He went through a stem cell transplant using his own cells at Northside almost four years ago. He had amazing doctors including his oncologist he still checks in with in Lawrenceville. He is 64 and has been Type 2 diabetic for about 15 years. We hold our breath and pray really hard every time he gets tired, a cold, or check up but he is doing well. He had a cold and noticed knots around his collar bone. He hid them from us for two months and when they didn't go down he showed my mom. It went really fast diagnosing him too.
ReplyDelete