Journal entry by Carmen Kenner —
It feels like forever since I have had anything to report regarding my cancer journey. In the interim, I had several new tests to help stage my cancer.
A bone marrow biopsy was run to verify that the lymphoma did not originate in, nor spread to, the bone marrow. Mine did not.
The next test was the PET scan. Mother nature and murphy's law seemed to want to play along. The preparation for a PET scan requires that you stick to a diet that restricts all carbs and sugars. I prepared for the test for the first time, only to find out that the PET machine required maintenance. I prepared a second time and got into the car to drive through the snow and ice only to find out that the hospital's fire sprinkler system had frozen and burst in the vicinity of the PET scan room. I prepared a third time when I was able to get back on the schedule two days later. I had to wait for the radioactive tracer to arrive from DFW via courier but I finally got the test. Whew, I don't think I would have been easy to appease if they turned me away again. Apparently my personality is fueled by carbs/sugar. I am not a very nice person without them. Who knew?
I am incredibly blessed because my test revealed that when they removed my tonsils they removed the active lymphoma! Dr. Bajaj staged my cancer as stage 2 mostly because it was found in two lymph nodes (both tonsils). The radioactive tracer that is injected into your body attaches to cancer and lights up under the PET scan. My scan had none!
In a recent appointment, he mentioned that I was considered in remission, but because this was a cancer of the lymph system, it still required treatment. There is a chance that "unorganized" cancer cells are looking for a place to begin again and are simply too small to detect. Makes sense.
Beginning as soon as United Healthcare can see fit to verify, I will be having immunotherapy with a medication called Rituxan. Luckily, immunotherapy doesn't have the side effects that chemotherapy does. There should be no nausea or gastric distress nor hair loss. There are 4 transfusions, once a week for 4 weeks. After this step is completed I will have radiation on my tonsil beds.
All in all, I am so blessed to have the lymphoma show up in an area that bothered me enough to get it checked out.
Thank you for the prayers! It is working.
A bone marrow biopsy was run to verify that the lymphoma did not originate in, nor spread to, the bone marrow. Mine did not.
The next test was the PET scan. Mother nature and murphy's law seemed to want to play along. The preparation for a PET scan requires that you stick to a diet that restricts all carbs and sugars. I prepared for the test for the first time, only to find out that the PET machine required maintenance. I prepared a second time and got into the car to drive through the snow and ice only to find out that the hospital's fire sprinkler system had frozen and burst in the vicinity of the PET scan room. I prepared a third time when I was able to get back on the schedule two days later. I had to wait for the radioactive tracer to arrive from DFW via courier but I finally got the test. Whew, I don't think I would have been easy to appease if they turned me away again. Apparently my personality is fueled by carbs/sugar. I am not a very nice person without them. Who knew?
I am incredibly blessed because my test revealed that when they removed my tonsils they removed the active lymphoma! Dr. Bajaj staged my cancer as stage 2 mostly because it was found in two lymph nodes (both tonsils). The radioactive tracer that is injected into your body attaches to cancer and lights up under the PET scan. My scan had none!
In a recent appointment, he mentioned that I was considered in remission, but because this was a cancer of the lymph system, it still required treatment. There is a chance that "unorganized" cancer cells are looking for a place to begin again and are simply too small to detect. Makes sense.
Beginning as soon as United Healthcare can see fit to verify, I will be having immunotherapy with a medication called Rituxan. Luckily, immunotherapy doesn't have the side effects that chemotherapy does. There should be no nausea or gastric distress nor hair loss. There are 4 transfusions, once a week for 4 weeks. After this step is completed I will have radiation on my tonsil beds.
All in all, I am so blessed to have the lymphoma show up in an area that bothered me enough to get it checked out.
Thank you for the prayers! It is working.
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