eat2na

Hi. I am a Lymphoma survivor and I was also prescribed CHOP back in 1996. Today I am very healthy with no side effects.

Well the first chemo treatment was ok. I didn't really know what to expect. I remember even eating lunch at the treatment facility before I was about to receive my first treatment.

By the second treatment the nausea and vomiting started. I was a not able to keep anything down. I was even prescribed nausea medication but it didn't help. It is possible that there is new nausea medication available now. But back in 1996 that was my major problem. It got so bad with the nausea that I develop a phobia of the treatment facility. As soon as I pull over in the parking lot for treatment I started to vomit. Even without chemo in me, just from the smell of the place.

As the third treatment started, one day I was taking a shower and I was washing my hair and noticed all the hair was in my hands!! Just for a test I decided to pull my hair with my fingers and I was able to take it off with my fingers with no pain. As the days passed all my hair started to fall off, I mean all, including my eyebrows.

I was sick for like two weeks after they put the chop in me. Unable to eat anything. Just crackers and jello. Then you get OK for like a week. Then they treat you again and is all down hill for the next two weeks, then one free week and so on. Something I develop that was most frustrating was a 24 hour a day hiccup.

Do not give up.. Stay with the treatment. The doctors need to find a balance between almost killing you and getting rid of all the cancer cells.

They will do a lot of blood test on you and xrays and ct scans.

A few times I was not able to get a hold of the doctors over the weekends and ended up in the emergency room. Once it was for problems breathing and anxiety and the other time I was caughing up blood.

After the six treatments spanning a few months then I started with radiation therapy. There was no side effects from radiation and my hair started to grow and my appetite was back. After that they saw me every few months, then six months, then once a year, then one day the doctor told me I didn't need to see him anymore unless I suspected something was not right, and then to just go to my family doctor.

Be aware that you will go thru some emotional and mental hurdles. For me first it was really bothersome thinking about my mortality. Something really scary for me was feeling the pain that somebody on deathrow feels. I would not wish that to anybody. I felt like that when I was first diagnosed and then for the next few weeks while looking at my first born daughter that was only two years old at the time. I cried a lot kind of like when somebody you love dies and wondering why something that usually happens to other people had to happen to me.

Then you get hope from your treatment when the doctors tell you it is working and the Xrays show it is removing the Cancer.

After you finish all the treatment you will feel very vulnerable and self aware of your physical body. I became overly aware and everytime I got a fever or felt weak, or had a certain pain anywhere I got really scared and though the cancer was back. Do not worry as this is normal and it will play with your mind because you don't know if it is the cancer that is back or just a normal ache.

I have been cancer free now for 12 years and I am back to my old self. I feel guilty sometimes for not really taking more care of myself after being given this second chance. I am basically back to all my bad habits that I had before I was diagnosed.