What's happening with Mike?

I know this question has been asked more than once lately.   The short answer is that I have cancer.  On January 21st, I was camping with our Boy Scout troop, and noticed a lump on the side of my neck.    I didn't have a real mirror, so I didn't get a good look at it until I got home on Sunday, January 23rd.   I made an appointment with my doctor, and saw her on January 28th.   She ran several blood tests, and a white count.   The tests, including mono, came back negative and my white count was normal.    This is when I knew something was up, and cancer was a real possibility.    My doctor prescribed  a one week course of antibiotics and scheduled my followup for February 4th.  There was no reduction in the size of the lump that week, and my doctor scheduled me on the spot to get a fine needle aspiration from a team of oncology surgeons at a hospital nearby.

A fine needle aspiration is medical terminology for repeated stabbings into the area of concern with a hypodermic needle.   For reasons I don't understand, cells cannot be drawn out with a syringe.   Multiple stabbings are necessary to fill the needle.   It was very Spanish Inquisition.  I was not expecting that.   My wife was watching the whole procedure on a computer screen that was connected to an ultrasound.   She determined that the lump was a boy.

The results of the biopsy came back on Tuesday, February 8th.   Lymphoma.    I was immediately scheduled for a right cervical lymph node removal on Thursday, February 10th.   I was concerned at this point, because I am a man, and don't have those parts.    Then I was told that cervical means 'neck'.   Oh.    The surgery went well, although the surgeon had to cut through muscle to get to the lymph node and he bumped a nerve.  The results of that were a very tender neck, and no feeling on the outer edge of, and directly behind, my right ear.   I don't go touching things with those parts anyway, so no big loss.   The surgeon took my lymph node to pathology, and told me he would get back with me on Tuesday, February 15 with the type of lymphoma I had. 

We (my wife and I) spoke with the surgeon on Tuesday.   For all of you who guessed diffuse large b-cell lymphoma, you win a prize.   I'll get it to you promptly in March, 2157.   Tomorrow is February 17, and we are scheduled to see an oncologist.   I hope that I know more about this cancer after speaking with her. 

As you can imagine, things have been quite stressful.   Lots of ups and downs, and more than a few tears.   I am encouraged by what little I do know about this cancer, in that I have a fighting chance.   A really good fighting chance at that.   When I was a kid, lymphoma was a death sentence.   But, with the exception of fine needle aspirations, medicine has improved tremendously.    I'm gonna beat this.