About Me

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My name is Samantha, Sammy to many of my family, Sam to my friends. My blog describes the journey I have undertaken so far and the journey I continue to make having been diagnosed with Follicular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Stage 4 in December 2009. With the exception of surgery at point of diagnosis I have been actively monitored under a "watch and wait" approach and achieved 5 years without treatment and monitoring only last December. My prognosis is approximately 10 years but for every year we watched and waited I have felt positive that this would be extending that prognosis. I am very happily married to Roy and celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary last October and we have a beautiful 9-year old son Callum. My Step-Daughter, 20-year old Hayley who lived with us is now at University. Our house is awash with my beloved pets, our 2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, "Amber" and "Saffy", "Caboodle" the cat and "Elliott" the Rex rabbit. The opinions on this blog are my own and based on my personal experience.

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Plodding Along....

That's exactly how I feel, life is just bumbling along.

It will be 5 months since I was diagnosed this Friday. I cannot quite believe where the time has gone, but in many respects it also feels like years rather than months.

I'm having yet another period of infection after infection, with the latest throat infection and virus ongoing for almost 2 weeks now but this time with temperatures at fever pitch. But today it feels like it has eased slightly and that I might be on the road to recovery, and at least I have something similar to a voice again today.

Life presents another major hurdle next week. Not something I am going to outline in this blog but for the few that I have spoken to about it they know what I am referring to. I'm sure life generally will feel much easier to deal with once that has been put out to closure.

My reflexology continues to go better than expected, to the point I rather enjoy the appointments now and the Hospice is a very calm and peaceful place with lovely staff. "M" was pleased with the receipt of 6 fresh eggs this week and may perhaps persuade her to obtain some hens of her own for her allotment.

"M" did restate (as she has done a number of times now) that I clearly struggle to relax and I now have another relaxation technique to try with some additional natural therapy suggestions to help boost my immune system.

Lenny Lymphoma continues to make its presence felt with the uncomfortable lump in my neck ever present and a suspect lump having now appeared under my armpit which I continue to monitor closely. My Medical Team have offered to bring my next appointment forward if it doesn't subside, but for now I'm just keeping an eye on things as a few weeks will make absolutely no difference.

So I will just continue to plod along, as I don't have much energy for anything else. Roll on 2 weeks from now when I hope to have eliminated yet another of life's challenges to allow for a smoother path ahead.