A Date that will Live in Infamy

I was born in the latter part of March and if you're into astrology, you probably know that makes me an Aries. If you know a bit more, you may know that, at times, Arians are known for being quite opinionated, boisterous, love being the center of attention, are extremely health-conscious and are very (repeat) passionate. In college, I diverted that "passion" towards my health and treated my body as a temple to relieve stress. "Garbage in, garbage out", I would tell people. Advising friends, family and loved ones on nutritional habits and even coaching some of them in the gym is not uncommon behavior for me. Since the age of 19, I have worked out usually 4 or five times a week. Running, swimming, rollerblading, weightlifting, etc. Anyone reading this who even slightly knows me, would agree that I always lived by the mantra "a rolling stone gathers no moss.."

Energy has never been in short supply.

Friday, June 20, 2008 all of my perceptions about myself and my "healthy" lifestyle were crushed under the heavy boot of a biopsy of some removed lymph nodes from a few days prior. I was hit by the proverbial "speeding bus" and my life was forever changed. Now, some of you may be saying, there goes Geoff, being dramatic again, but I did really feel like my world had just ended.

Flashback (que the annoying wind chimes).

In April, I noticed some small lumps that had appeared in my neck on the right side just above my collar bone. Thinking little of it due to the fact that I was in the midst of a job search, I delayed going to see the doctor because I had no health insurance. Shortly thereafter, I started a new job and partly because my mother is a worry wort and partly because I am a self-proclaimed hypochondriac, I went to the doctor. He stated that I had probably picked up some sort of infection that my body simply couldn't ward off and prescribed some antibiotics and took about 800 vials of blood (I HATE needles). Two months later and my "lovely lady lumps, as I had so affectionately named them (the Dixie Chicks sounded too gay), were still there and becoming increasingly more visible. My doctor referred me on to an oncologist/hematologist.

At this point, I was more than a bit aware that what I may be facing would be life-altering, but the "C" word had only been hinted at here and there. The oncologist took one look (and a few painful prods to my neck) and proclaimed that she wanted, "those outta there". One week later I was the operating table in one of those very fashionable backless gowns that so many people are fond of wearing. The surgery revealed what the surgeon told my parents was a group of nodes (lymph nodes are similar to grapes on a vine) the size of a cocktail shrimp.

Yes, imagine having a prawn in your throat for two months - fun stuff!

So, in place of the crustacean, I now have a bright pink two inch scar going down the side of my throat. My friends had a contest to come up with the best story, it's a tie between shark attack and stabbing wound from a gang fight.




The nodes were out and I was told that pathology could take between two to five days for the results. I was on pins and needles for the next two days, mostly from the fact that I just had creature removed from my body, but also because I was scared shit-less.


Friday, I got the call.

My sister's birthday happened to be the same week as my surgery, so my mom, dad and I were at Dillard's department store looking for a gift. I had called and left a message for my oncologist to find out the results of another 800 vials of blood that they ran test on. Sidenote - there is a pathogen you can get from ostrich meat that "presents" itself a lot like cancer. Who knew? I received a call back from the very perky physician's assistant who works in the office. She relayed that the one test that had been completed which searched for markers on the removed tissue had come back looking great. None of the markers the doctors were looking for had repeated themselves, a good sign.

My oncologist called back.

I took a deep breath.

She asked me how I was recovering from the surgery. I just had a one ounce shrimp removed from my neck... How great could I really be? She became very somber and her voice very stoic... "I am afraid you have Hodgkins." It's very hard for me to remember exactly what she said at that very moment so please don't ask her, but all I heard was what I thought was a death wish at that moment and translated it was, "You have cancer, do you have a last will and testament?" Since that moment, I have come to the realization that cancer is not a death wish. I still don't refer to it as that, though that is clinically what I have. To be precise I have Hodgkins Disease Lymphoma. Lymphoma is a type of the "C" word that attacks the lymphatic system and causes the lymph nodes to grow in an uncontrollable manner until they cannot perform their intended function, which is to remove interstitial fluid from the tissue of the body and to produce immune cells called lymphocytes(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphatic_system).
Mine, for some reason, had gone all wonky. Luckily, if there is a "luckily" in all of this, Hodgkins Disease has fewer forms and more research done on it. It's about 90% curable in young adults. At 32, I am still considered a "young adult". No comments, please.

Mutants in my temple.

Over the course of the next 6 months, I plan on keeping my friends, family, loved ones and the occasional passer-by updated on my experience with this lovely chronic illness which has chosen to reside in my body. It's not gonna be easy, I don't expect it will be fun, but one thing is for sure.. It AIN'T gonna kill me! My friends and family both near and far have all asked how I am doing and I figure this is the easiest way to keep them all updated. I still expect phone calls, emails, cards, flowers, small gifts, money and dead birds from my animal contingency of loved ones.

This blog is in no way meant to dissuade phone calls or smoke signals of any kind in an effort to contact me personally. Please feel free to call me anytime, but don't get crazy (Bon Qui Qui reference)



I love you all and appreciate all the love and support you have given me thus far.

You keep me STRONG!