Diagnoses
I know this has probably a shock to everyone reading this. So please allow me to share my story with you.
On Friday January 27th, when I woke up to get out of bed, I noticed a lump in my armpit. At first I was alarmed but I has so much on the go, I ignored it hoping it would go away. The following week I became really sick. It felt like the worst flu. I should have stayed in bed but I couldn't. I dragged myself to school that entire week to keep up with the 90% attendance rule. That week I was so dehydrated that my friends broke into my room, packed me up and took me to the hospital. The doctors assured me it was just a virus. My friends were convincing me it was mono. I was so tired and sick and swollen lymph nodes is just part of it.
Once I felt better, the lump was still there. I ended up going to the doctors maybe a month or so later. The doctor ended up sending me for an ultrasound. At the ultrasound, more "lumps" showed up. The doctor referred to them as "lumpy lymph nodes". The doctor was concerned and did a needle biopsy. The doctor told me it would be a week for the results to come in. After that was concerned. I knew it was time to tell my dad. (My mom already knew). I'm sure this was so tough for them dealing with the unknown from so far away. The very next day I received a call from my doctors, while I was at school saying It was urgent and that I needed to come in for an appointment. I was with my friend Abby at that point and we immediately contacted my parents. With in 12 hours, I was meeting my mom at the airport in St John's.
They next day at the doctors appointment, we found out it wasn't urgent but that my biopsy results were inconclusive because there wasn't enough cells to work with but that it was probably just mono. So I went for blood tests to see if it was mono. It wasn't. At that point my doctor referred me to a surgeon to have them take a piece out for a biopsy. Unfortunately my mom had to leave to go back home, but I have such a great support system here in Newfoundland so she left knowing that I would be taken care of.
About a month later I finally had my biopsy. Just a day surgery where they froze the area and removed a sample. That was last Wednesday (May 10th). On Tuesday May 16th my doctor had the results and it was indeed Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I still do not know the stage until my cat scan. Once I know the stage I will then know the type of Chemotherapy treatment I will receive.
I just want to thank everyone who has been apart of my support system. Going through this while in school and so far away from my family has been a challenge. My friends here in Newfoundland have been with me since day one and I know they will continue to be beside me throughout this storm. I also know that back in Cobourg and all my friends across the country are supporting me
I was supposed to be going on a long sea phase this summer as part of my 3rd year of nautical Science but I have to get through this before I can go back to sea. My goal right now is to finish off my 2nd year which will finish June 15th then I will be temporarily leaving my "home" (St. John's) to return back to Cobourg (which I no longer consider home) to have my family support me through this journey. I know this is just a test of my strength and that this is just one of the storms in life that I will have to fight, and someday soon I'll return back to where I belong - The Sea.
"Smooth Seas Never Make a Skillful Sailor"
On Friday January 27th, when I woke up to get out of bed, I noticed a lump in my armpit. At first I was alarmed but I has so much on the go, I ignored it hoping it would go away. The following week I became really sick. It felt like the worst flu. I should have stayed in bed but I couldn't. I dragged myself to school that entire week to keep up with the 90% attendance rule. That week I was so dehydrated that my friends broke into my room, packed me up and took me to the hospital. The doctors assured me it was just a virus. My friends were convincing me it was mono. I was so tired and sick and swollen lymph nodes is just part of it.
Once I felt better, the lump was still there. I ended up going to the doctors maybe a month or so later. The doctor ended up sending me for an ultrasound. At the ultrasound, more "lumps" showed up. The doctor referred to them as "lumpy lymph nodes". The doctor was concerned and did a needle biopsy. The doctor told me it would be a week for the results to come in. After that was concerned. I knew it was time to tell my dad. (My mom already knew). I'm sure this was so tough for them dealing with the unknown from so far away. The very next day I received a call from my doctors, while I was at school saying It was urgent and that I needed to come in for an appointment. I was with my friend Abby at that point and we immediately contacted my parents. With in 12 hours, I was meeting my mom at the airport in St John's.
They next day at the doctors appointment, we found out it wasn't urgent but that my biopsy results were inconclusive because there wasn't enough cells to work with but that it was probably just mono. So I went for blood tests to see if it was mono. It wasn't. At that point my doctor referred me to a surgeon to have them take a piece out for a biopsy. Unfortunately my mom had to leave to go back home, but I have such a great support system here in Newfoundland so she left knowing that I would be taken care of.
About a month later I finally had my biopsy. Just a day surgery where they froze the area and removed a sample. That was last Wednesday (May 10th). On Tuesday May 16th my doctor had the results and it was indeed Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I still do not know the stage until my cat scan. Once I know the stage I will then know the type of Chemotherapy treatment I will receive.
I just want to thank everyone who has been apart of my support system. Going through this while in school and so far away from my family has been a challenge. My friends here in Newfoundland have been with me since day one and I know they will continue to be beside me throughout this storm. I also know that back in Cobourg and all my friends across the country are supporting me
I was supposed to be going on a long sea phase this summer as part of my 3rd year of nautical Science but I have to get through this before I can go back to sea. My goal right now is to finish off my 2nd year which will finish June 15th then I will be temporarily leaving my "home" (St. John's) to return back to Cobourg (which I no longer consider home) to have my family support me through this journey. I know this is just a test of my strength and that this is just one of the storms in life that I will have to fight, and someday soon I'll return back to where I belong - The Sea.
"Smooth Seas Never Make a Skillful Sailor"