This fall I came down with an enduring cold and, for the first time in my life, the lymph nodes in my neck were swollen. I went to the clinic, where the doctor prescribed me amoxicillan. A few days after I started taking it, I began to itch uncontrollably. I went back to the clinic, where they told me I might be having an allergic reaction, so I stopped taking the antibiotic. A few days after that, even though I was no longer taking the drug, the itching grew worse and worse until finally I was completely covered in hives, from head to toe. I was miserable. The clinic staff sent me to a dermatologist, who thought I might have mono and prescribed Prednisone for the hives. I was returned to the clinic, where I tested negative for mono.
It took some time but eventually my skin mostly returned to normal. However, I noticed that I still had a persistant cold and the lymph nodes in my neck were still swollen. I was finally able to get into my regular doctor, who prescribed Cefuroxime and told me to contact him if I wasn’t feeling better within a few days. Not only did I not improve, I began to feel worse, so I returned to the doctor, who diagnosed me with bronchitis and put me on more Prednisone, for the bronchitis and a lingering rash from the initial breakout, and a different, “stronger” antibiotic, Levaquin.
This time, I thought we had conquered whatever was bothering me. The cold symptoms went away and I could no longer see or feel the lymph nodes in my neck. However, a couple of days after I took my last drug doses, I was taking a shower and discovered a golf ball sized lymph node in my armpit. I hurried back to the doctor that very day. I was given another prescription for Levaquin and sent off to have a chest CT scan, which showed multiple swollen lymph nodes. It was at this point that my doctor began to suspect lymphoma. I returned the next day for a full chest/abdominal CT scan, which showed swollen lymph nodes throughout my body, as well as a swollen spleen. Furthermore, I began having hives again, this time I believed from the Levaquin, so I went off that and back on Prednisone. A mammogram came back negative.
I was referred to an oncologist, who had me undergo a needle biopsy of a lymph node in the armpit. It came back negative for b-cell lymphoma but as “reactive.” So I had a bone marrow biopsy done, which came back negative but “hyperactive.” I had a full biopsy of the lymph node, which came back negative but “reactive.” Another CT scan showed that my lymph nodes were more swollen than they were the first time they were analyzed. Finally, I had one last full lymph node biopsy done and the sample was sent to the Mayo clinic in order for the pathologists to specifically look for t-cell lymphoma. They found it.
This entire process took three months. I’m frustrated that it took so long. On the other hand, I’m glad that my oncologist was as persisitant as he was. Obviously, time is precious in a battle like this.
I have been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic t-cell lymphoma. It is a rare but aggressive form of lymphoma. I am taking chemotherapy once every three weeks. The drugs given to me are Vincristine, Adriamycin, and Cytoxan. I then take 100 mg of Prednisone for 5 days after each treatment. After three sessions, I will have a CT scan in order to see if the treatment appears to be working. If it does, I will most likely continue for a total of six months. It is possible that once this is finished, I will have a stem cell transplant.
I am terrified. Sometimes I get angry or depressed. Or both. But I will do what I can to fight this disease. I want more than anything, anything in the world, to live through this, to come out on top, to be able to live a happy healthy life for many years when this is over.
After all, I have my four dogs and my six cats. By the way, they’re going to be helping me every step of the way.
