CHAPTER ONE: FIRST SYMPTOM TO DIAGNOSIS

I am a European female living alone in Australia and was diagnosed (3rd April 2008) with cancer, a jejunal Non-Hodkin’s Lymphoma, Stage 2E.

Between May ‘07 and Jan ‘08 (I just cannot remember the month) I noticed a lymph node in one arm pit. It disappeared almost immediately. I also noticed dark shadows under my eyes and remember looking this up on the Internet as it is something I have never had before. They remained there and were so noticeable that I began putting make up on them….maybe July onwards.

14th Jan 2008:
I felt a mild but annoying pain as if I had wind trapped under the ribs in my left upper abdominal quadrant. It went away several hours later. 

This pain recurred approximately every other day for 6 weeks until I decided to palpate the area really hard to see if I could shift it. Luckily I was very slim and I was able to feel a lump deep in there. It hurt when I poked it.

I went to a GP who ordered an ultrasound scan (Feb 28th). The report said "No action needed" so I just assumed it was just wind after all. The intermittent pain continued with no pattern to it that I could detect except that it was getting a little more annoying. 

My best friend said I should see his GP, and I agreed. 

5th March 2008: 
I saw his GP. I had constant pain most of that day which by then had increased in level, so he arranged a CT scan for 7th March.

The scan report said: "small bowel thickening"…and “several small retroperitoneal lymph nodes...consistent with lymphoma or Crohn's disease".

Knowing I did not have Crohn’s, I went back to the GP and he arranged a visit to a specialist. The specialist said the scan report was very scary - those were his words. He said untreated, I could have as little as 4 mths to a year if it's a lymphoma and that I should have both a colonoscopy and endoscopy asap. The very soonest (because it was Easter that week) was Wed 26th March ‘08.

I was 5 foot 6.5 inches tall and weighed 8st 6lbs which was light and accordingly I was very slim. I thought about what was to come and realised I was going to lose weight even with just these tests alone so I decided to eat high calorie foods and as much of them as possible in the intervening time. I bought peanut butter, cheese, eggs, porridge, grapes, sausages, etc. Yuk! I hate fat and fatty stuff. Then I began eating as much as I could but feeling sickish all the time due to worry and a too full stomach, I think.

20th March: 
I got a stronger pain in left lung area or maybe just below diaphragm and had to lie down. I began imagining all kinds of things and I lost faith in my body. 

After 3 days of diet preparation for the endoscopy and colonoscopy, I arrived at the local hospital (24th March), had a cannula put into my hand, had an ECG, talked to anaesthetist, and was in theatre at 1035. At 1045 the happy drug went in (I was lying on my left side and could see clock on wall) and then I was out.

I woke in recovery 1, stayed there a while then went into recovery 2. The specialist came in and said that my bloods were excellent and that he found the cause of my pain: An ulcerated jejunal tumour. He gave me photographs of it....WOW...YUK!!

He had taken samples for biopsy and I was to get most of the results in a few days. He said whether it was benign or not he thought I would need surgery to remove this section of gut.

Mon 31st March ‘08: 

Most of the biopsy results were in and the specialist said all clear so far, but, results of one test still to come: a B-cell lymphoma test. I was to phone for this result on 3rd April and also to see if he had organised a hospital place for me. My blood test results were all excellent and cholesterol was 4.2. The only slight problem was very sight anaemia - not a lot of spare RBCs. 

During the first few days of April I had dull pain every day punctuated by big stings - and a scary feeling. 

Thu 3rd April ‘08:
I am told I have a very aggressive B-cell lymphoma. I AM DEVASTATED…….. The doctor said I need surgery fast and chemo, etc. The specialist was wonderful and had arranged everything and I was to go to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.

I should explain at this point that I lived alone in a small coastal village. I had a business partner, Steve, on the other side of the planet and I had my best friend who lived 120km away from me and who had ME. Steve offered to fly over to care for me during my treatment time and I accepted his offer. 

Fri 4th April ‘08: 
The surgeon called me from PA Hospital in Brisbane and told me to be in outpatients at 1030 Wednesday next, 9th April 2008.