Relapse

It's been a pretty crappy week, hence my delay in posting...so here's the low down.

It's not that big of a secret that I've been feeling pretty crappy lately, mostly fatigue, constant runny nose, etc. Nothing big, but definetely reminiscent of how I felt prior to my initial diagnosis. My doc kept assuring me "it's nothing", and that "It would be very rare for this to be caused by Hodgkins", nevertheless, I had a feeling something was amiss, and pressured him into giving me a PET scan.

This state of the art disgnosis tool is a snapshot of cellular activity, and I was really hoping for a clean scan. This past week I went in to the doc's to get my results, and, as is usually the case, my doctor asked "why are you here?", "My PET!" I repied, "Oh" he said, as he flips through my chart. Next comes the good part, as he reads the report, he goes "Whaaaat?, looks like something lit up".

Not exactly the words I was hoping for, but I did get to mutter a "told you so", which was a small, and unfufiling consolation.

So apparently my Hodgkins Lymphoma has relapsed, taken literally, "to fall or slide back into a former state."

The PET revealed 4 tumors still in my chest, and some activity in my neck, there's no way to tell when this cropped back up, but it's safe to say, at some point between the end of my treatments and now.

The past week has been pretty hectic, as can be expected, I talked to a radiologist, whom presumably would be responsible for some radiation therapy. I've also been seeking out some second opinions, and Dr. Wolf has been great about getting input from several differeny oncologists around the country.

As it stands right now, he thinks another couple of rounds of chemotherapy, supplemented with a daily dose of radiation, will be the treatment, with a high possibility of a stem cell transplant (also known as a bone marrow transplant), I won't explain that here, mostly because I don't want to think to much about it.

Anyways, this week I get a my permanent IV (port) back, with a surgery on Tuesday, then spend the rest of the week finalizing a plan of attack.

I'm mostly angry that this stuff is back, and definetely a bit scared about the future, which is to be expected, but in the meantime I've been spending some time with close friends, and doing my best to keep my mind from getting carried away.

I'll keep posting as I get more info,
Jeff