Remission March 2018

Firstly a recap

• Diagnosed 14th Feb 2014 Hodgkins Lymphoma stage 4

• Biopsy to right neck Feb 2014

• Bone marrow & Lumbar punch March 2014

• P.E.T. Scan March 2014 (P.E.T. Number 1)

• Chemotherapy ABVD Commenced 13th March 2014 Ended 14th August 2014

• P.E.T. Scan April 2014 (P.E.T. Number 2)

• Declared Chemotherapy Steroid induced Diabetes May 2014

• June 2014 Bleomycin (The B from ABVD) attacked my right lung

• P.E.T. Scan Oct 2014 (P.E.T. Number 3)

• Radiotherapy @ 40gml Grey to right side neck commenced Nov 2014 to Dec 2014

• Given 6 weeks to live following Radiotherapy Dec 2014

• Ultrasound Fine needle aspiration March 2015

• P.E.T. Scan May 2015 (P.E.T. Number 4)

• Tonsillectomy & Biopsies to throat July 2015

• P.E.T. Scan Oct 2015 (P.E.T. Number 5)

• P.E.T. Scan May 2016 (P.E.T. Number 6)

• Biopsies to throat & base of tongue July 2016

• P.E.T. Scan Oct 2016 (P.E.T. Number 7)

• Suspected Kidney failure Nov 2017 & new Lymphoma site to middle spine

• P.E.T. Scan Feb 2017 (P.E.T. Number 8)

• Biopsy to lower spine Lymph Nodes March 2017

• Declared relapse both HLD & NHL urgent  rescue procedures required March 2017

• Advised the situation is critical March 2017 classed as Terminal

• ICE Chemotherapy April to May 2017

• P.E.T. Scan May 2017 (P.E.T. Number 9)

• Stem Cell Harvest June 2017

• BEAM Chemotherapy July 2017

• Stem Cell Transplant July 2017

• P.E.T. Scan Oct 2017 (P.E.T. Number 10) first scan to show no cancer cells

November 2017

At this point the hematologist & radiologist placed me in remission but I really needed my Oncologist to officially place me in remission, but he did not. He wanted me convalescing for 3 months…… he is the person who placed me as terminal so it’s up to him to change that prognosis

January 21st 2018 Blood test

January 25th 2018 Meeting with Oncologist 196 days since Stem Cell Transplant, 301 days since relapsed, 1440 days since first diagnosed, 30 days of Chemotherapy, 20 days radiotherapy plus a full Stem Cell Transplant and it all comes down to today. Blood test were excellent. Booking me in to have my gallbladder scanned as it appears the levels of chemotherapy over the past year may have damaged it, but this has nothing to do with cancer.

And it’s official I am now in remission & the countdown commences.

Countdown- even though there is no visible sign of Lymphoma the team will monitor me for the next 5 years, if no further issues I will be declared cancer free. You might say “5 years” is a long time but since I have been declared terminal twice I can assure you it’s great news

So back in remission & cleared to work. CV ready and bring on the next challenge

2nd March 2018

To complete the medical remission I was placed in on 25 January 2018 I had to undergo a liver & gallbladder test along with a bone density test. These test included ultrasound, bone scans & blood test all covered between 01 Feb 2018 and the 28th Feb 2018

I got the results today 2 March 2018 and they are all clear, bone density was exceptional

So the International Lymphoma Association have fully approved remission.

Finally I want to take this opportunity to thank the 5,000 people from 48 countries that have read and followed this blog. Your support has help me throughout the regimens and to see it build from nothing to over 4,850 in 10 months was fantastic. I intend adding various blogs some backdated to 2015/6 and some updates over this year but The Relapse blog concludes today