Ok, story so far…
I’ve been off work now for about 9 weeks. I first went to my GP because I suspected some of my diabetes medications were making me feel bad.
I was getting minor blackouts and feeling very tired all the time. As a diabetic the doctors tend to go all out very quickly so I was sent for blood tests and ECG.
The ECG showed an irregularity that hinted at pericarditis so I was sent to a specialist who did further tests and said that it wasn’t (or if it had been I was mended anyway).
Still feeling ill I went back to the doc and discussed the meds further. He agreed that I could stop taking the one I thought was messing me up and we’d see what happened. If it made me feel better then we’d look for alternative drugs.
He was still unsure though as my blood results were showing some weird things so he sent me for repeat tests to start getting a pattern. He also sent me for a chest x-ray to check for pneumonia.
Friday just gone he called at my house whilst on his rounds and left a note for me to pop in and see him.
When I walked in he was obviously a bit upset (or maybe nervous of telling me bad news, I’m about 100lbs heavier than him!). Turns out the x-ray had shown up some bad shit.
He pulled the picture and it was quite obvious even to me with little medical knowledge that things weren’t quite right. On the left side of my chest was a pronounced shadow - maybe an inch in diameter, roughly circular.
Turns out I have Lymphoma - cancer of the lymph glands and this looks like it’s my primary site. Hopefully it’s the only site at the moment which having read up about it gives a much better chance of getting this all fixed.
I’ve been given an urgent referral for a biopsy and CT scan to figure out exactly what’s going on and how advanced it is. That should come through in the next few days.
When we know that we can decide on exactly what treatment to go for but it sounds like chemotherapy possible combined with radiotherapy are in my very near future.
Why post this here? Well, to let my mates know for one, to get a bit of positive thought from everybody, and also to highlight “The Intelligent and Relentless Pursuit of Muscle” maybe doesn’t just have to mean increasing in size, but holding on to what you’ve got through situations like this.
Right now I feel good. I’m fit & strong and my head is totally straight. I’m concerned, certainly, but I am definitely not freaking out about it or scared in any way. No anger, no ‘why me’ thoughts. I just want to get this started so I can try my damndest to kick it’s fucking ass.
Win or lose I’ll fight it all the way. No fear, no regrets, just me and it doing battle.
Maybe by posting up what happens and my own thoughts and feelings as and when I can, I may help others who come into contact with this shit either directly as a patient or as a family member or friend of a patient. Gives everyone a chance to ask questions too that they may have had in the past but never had the opportunity to ask.
T-Vixens please feel free to dress in sexy nurse outfits and post pictures to help me get through this. Either direct to the forum or by PM is fine 
