Well that effing sucks
May 1, 2013 in Lymphoma by Reta Reed
Jeff had lab work and we saw Dr Oommen today. Good news: his bloodwork is looking good, hemoglobin is on the rise, white blood cells are normal again. He’s had some pretty good days, looking and feeling better. Bad news: the FISH test shows two Burkitt’s chromosomes which means this is not just aggressive lymphoma, it’s highly aggressive. The PET scan shows multiple loops of the small intestine involved, but also the pancreas and some mesenteric lymph nodes. Treatment will change from R-CHOP to hyper CVAD. Hyper CVAD is infused over a few days and requires hospitalization. He’ll be back in the hospital next Monday through Friday, then home for a couple weeks, back in the hospital for five days, home for a week or two, and so on for eight treatments.
So those are the facts. Jeff’s initial response was to drop the f-bomb, then immediately apologize to Dr Oommen. This just effing sucks. He was sailing smoothly on R-CHOP and hoped that would do the trick. He’s allowed one day to have a pity party, but then he must move on and face what must be done. And it MUST be done.
He’s understandably bummed about this new development. He even feels bad for me ‘because I have to drive him around everywhere’. Really? It’s the least I can do. He’s got the hard job here. Tomorrow we go back to thinking positively – it’s still highly treatable, all Dr Oommen’s Burkitt’s patients are still alive, and only one had a bone marrow transplant but not due to Burkitt’s. All in all, this adds up to a few months of his life which will really suck, then he’ll be in remission. He’s strong and will get through this – though sprinkled with just a few F-bombs 🙂
hi and belated Happy Birthday! I wanted to drop the F bomb too….did silently….however, you are fighting this hard…keep fighting, it is a long hard road, just son’t count the steps, look at the ones you have already walked! God is good, I send knee mail daily!
Hi Jeff, sorry to hear the bad news, but Reta is right. You can beat this! Hang in there. I will be praying for you and your family.
Terri
Hey Jeff,thinking about the Red Velvet cake we got you in South Arlington last year for your BD–gee that seems like yesterday.
I know you will be strong and beat this thing because you know your family loves and needs you. I know that no one can possibly know how you feel unless they have been in your shoes. or should I say bed ! but we can imagine it is a hard place to be. It is hard to believe that someone you know and care about gets this and has to fight for their life, we all live in our little worlds and only when this happens do we realize how fragil life can be.Surely not something one can drell on but it does make you very aware that your life cn change in a flash. It makes you look at your family and know how lucky you are and pray that this never happens to them.
I am thinking of you and your family often–I pray for some good days for you. Be as strong as you can and listen that that beautiful wife of yours–
Love Ya man
Peggy
JEFF,THAT REALLY DOES SUCK,MY LOVE AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND RITA AND FAMIILY,JUST KEEP UP A BIG FIGHT,AND YOU WILL WIN BIG.WE SURE DO MISS YOU TAKING CARE US,BUT LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO.LOVE U DEBBIE ROADS
Yes Jeff–that effing sucks. But you will survive–don’t lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel. We are all effing here for you. Love ya man Donna
That does suck. Hang in there. Let me know if I can do anything. I love you.