Living with cancer for 6 days: My journey as it started.
I am a 55 year old male, that is a paragon of excellent health. At work I never go of sick. I only visit the doctor once a year for a check up. I don't drink any pills, I don't suffer from sugar, cholesterol or any blood pressure problems - but know I have cancer!!
How did I become aware of it?
About three weeks back, when going to bed I experienced an excruciating pain in my lower right hand side of my body, but it went away during the night and the next day I was fine, that is until I went to bed that night when the pain came back again. The next morning I was fine again. The pain never returned.
Over the weekend, I was visiting my brother for the thing we South Africans like the most - a braai. While chatting around the fire, I told them about the pains I had. My wife and sister-in-law then convinced me that I should go see a doctor as they though it could be my appendix!!
Visiting the doctor
Tuesday afternoon, after work, I went to the doctor. She informed me that it is definitely not my appendix. She however went on to give me a general checkup. While pressing on my stomach, she said she is feeling a strange mass inside my abdomen. She was not sure what it was, but said, I should go for a sonar, to check it out. I could only get an appointment the next Thursday morning.
Sonar and CT Scan
So Thursday morning I went for the sonar, and could see the lady doing the sonar, getting a puzzled expression on her face, she kept asking me if I don't feel any pain or anything strange, which I was not feeling at all, I was still feeling great!! She called the radiographer over, which told me I have some swollen glands, and she would send me for a CT Scan the same day, to check out the problem.
So after feeding me some iodine, off I went to the CT scan. The results took about an hour and with the results in hand I was sent of to a surgeon.
Bad news
In the mean time my wife also arrived from work, as she was inquiring about how I was doing the entire day, and she could see from the updates I was giving that something was not right with my health.
The doctor called us in in showed us the CT scan that showed various growths in my abdomen, which he informed us was lymphoma - cancer of the lymph system, which affects glands. I had one large mass, measuring 11.9 cm by 7 cm and various smaller ones.
The surgeon informed us that I had to go for a biopsy of the lymph-node and bone-marrow, as there are a lot of different types of lymphoma, of which the treatments differ.
This was quite a shock for us, with my wife and all my family taking the news very badly. I on the other hand felt very calm. I was in fact feeling very peaceful. As a Christian, I know God is always with me, even if this is going to be the end of me on earth, I know I have eternal life. But nobody knows when their time has come and in the mean time, I will do my best to come through this.
I have experienced a lot of support from my family and friends as well from colleagues at work and some steemians who read my daily scripture and even from people I don't really know in this short time since I have been diagnosed, it is just incredible. It is good to know that a lot of people are praying and caring for me.
Biopsy
As I said previously, I had to go to hospital for the two biopsies, I was scheduled to go in on Monday 14:00 and booked into the hospital just before 12:00. The biopsy was done and I was discharged again at about 18:00. The doctor told us the results will take about a week.
As I am typing this post, I am still feeling good, I just have a bit of discomfort where the biopsy was done, further on I am still great and don't feel sick at all.
I will try to give updates on my journey through this illness.
I know that there will be a rough time ahead, as the treatment progresses, but I am sure I will be able to cope through the strength I receive from God and all the support from family and friends.
This last 6 days really was a big change in my life and my families lives, I hope this experience can also help others as I go along writing about it. I think the one lesson learnt is to go to the doctor even when you think it is nothing, one never knows it could be serious.
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@rynow,
Get well soon and God bless you!
Amen~
Thank you.
Strength to you and your family through this.
Thank you so much.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I think it is very helpful and encouraging to us. I pray that you will get well soon brother.
Thank you so much.
Now i can see a true fighter against the cancer, hope you will win it and come back, i have found in you great man who is always together with friends and family. The whole community is pray for you to get well very soon.
Thank you so much, I need all the prayers.
Very sad, my friend, I wish you health and deliverance from the disease!
Thank you so much.
Mi estimado y sabio amigo, Dios está en control de todo. Todo saldrá muy bien y luego publicarás como venciste este inconveniente de salud
Un abrazo
Amén. Muchas gracias por el muy buen comentario.
Shit... so jammer om te hoor @Rynow... Sterkte dude!
Dankie.
You're facing the fire... the same fire that Shadrach Meshach and Abednego faced and we celebrate their victory.
I pray that no matter what, your calm acceptance of this journey ahead strengthens your relationship with God who lives in you. Prayerful support is amazing.....believers are praying for your WELL being. Hallelujah.
Amen, thank you so much for the very nice and encouraging comment.
Everything will be fine, otherwise it can not be
My friend did not know what's going on, I'm not going to say that I'm sorry because you'll be fine, you're surrounded by people who love you and most importantly you have God in your heart, he'll be with you at all times, so you go to be well, thank God you treated yourself in time and you can get out of this very well, by your words I know you are a strong man and you will not let yourself be overcome by this disease, I send you a thousand blessings and that the mantle of God will protect
Thank you so much for the encouraging comment.
I hope everything goes ok.....Be strong...and seek confort in the Word of God...all the best man
Thank you so much.
Be strong.. God is our strength..
God has His own purpose.. He is in control of everything.. .. praying for you 🙏🏻
Amen, thank you so much.
Oh, @rynow, so sorry to learn you've had to take on this battle! Wishing you and your family sterkte for the journey ahead of you.
Baie dankie.
💓💓
You went to the doc on the right time otherwise this could have been more serious i hope everything is fine take care
Thank you so much.
I'm feel so sorry for you after reading this. But don't worry I know you are strong enough to to conquer this especially with your devotion to God. Always remember that you have family and friends that will always support and love you. And one tip I always say to my patients who have this condition, always stay positive no matter how hard it is. I'll be praying for you. May you be free of this illness. May God Bless you always and take care!
Thank you so much for the prayers, I really need them.
God is with you.
you will be fine
Amen.
I'm sorry to here that.
Hope you stay strong and recover soon.
Thank you so much.
So many cancers around it is staggering @rynow wishing you alles van die beste moving forward. As always, one day at a time, thoughts are with you during your treatment.
Baie dankie.
With the blessing of God you will get well from this brother,
Amen.
Stay strong sir @rynow, Praying for you and your family.
Thank you so much.