First post:
Oct 13, 2019 Latest post:
Mar 20, 2020
Welcome to my Caringbridge site. I have visited several sites before but never thought I would be creating one to keep family and friends up to date. Here's my story:
December 2018: I started to have intermittent knee pain in my right leg. My first thought was I must have twisted my leg wrong while getting out of my car during the Minnesota Polar Vortex winter. The pain would last for about a week and then disappear for 3-4 weeks. As a Registered Nurse I work long hours bending down and lifting patients so I wasn't initially concerned about the pain.
June 2019: The intermittent knee pain started to increase in frequency and intensity. The pain decreased when I would walk around but would increase when I was sitting, lying down and going downstairs.
September 12, 2019: I went to a primary care provider about the knee pain and x-rays were ordered. After my x-rays came back my doctor called and insisted on additional imaging as they suspected Osteosarcoma...BONE CANCER! I underwent 2 MRI's and 2 biopsies to confirm the diagnosis and then received the call that would forever change my life...you have CANCER! Initially the orthopedic physician thought I had Osteosarcoma (textbook case might I add) but my biopsies came back positive for Lymphoma. To officially diagnose Lymphoma I underwent a PET scan and it was confirmed Lymphoma. I was then referred from orthopedics to hematology.
October 8, 2019: I had my first appointment with Hematology to discuss the type/stage of the cancer and the treatment plan. The official diagnosis: Follicular Lymphoma which is the most common form of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I have two tumors in my right leg one of which is about 8cm (the size of a peach) right above my knee cap and I have two small tumors in my left leg. No lymph node involvement so that is great news! Follicular Lymphoma is highly treatable with IV Chemotherapy which I will start very soon. The treatment will include 6 cycles of chemo every 4 weeks. I should be done with treatments in March 2020.
My doctors are extremely optimistic and I'm quite confident that I will beat this cancer! I guess lime green is my new favorite color! I have created this site to keep family and friends updated in one place. I have a great care team and a great village to help me. I'd appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement.
