First post-treatment check up = all good!

A few weeks ago, I went in for my first post-treatment check-up. This was just an exam and some blood work, so no scan this time (that will come in August -- gulp). Thankfully, everything looked and felt normal, though my white blood cells were still a below the low-end of normal, which Dr. Peterson said was not out of the ordinary considering my poor wittle immune system was under assault for 6 months with crazy strong medications. While I am happy about the results, I'm still a little nervous since my blood work and everything else -- well, everything minus the giant hard, fixed lump above my collarbone -- was pretty normal before I was diagnosed, so a scan is the only way I'll feel real closure that I am still in remission.

My scan will be in early August, so I have some time before full-blown "scanxiety" set in. Relapses generally occur at the original site of disease, so in my case any relapse would likely manifest itself in that node above my collarbone or in my chest. I routinely feel my neck and collarbone area for any possible lumps, but for obvious reasons I can't do that for the node in my chest. This is why follow up scans are important, since most people with Hodgkin's are diagnosed at stage 2 or onward.

Image courtesy of lymphomanation

By definition, stage 2 means the hodge is "in 2 or more groups of lymph nodes or an organ and 1 or more group of lymph nodes. In both cases, the 2 sites of lymphoma must be on the same side of the diaphragm." Most people on the forums and blogs I've read who are stage 2 or onward have had a lump in their neck or, most commonly, their collarbone, as well as an infected node in their chest. It's easy to monitor any changes in areas that are accessible, but not behind the chest cavity. Thankfully, it's standard for oncologists to scan patients every six months for the first year, and then once a year for a few more years, to make sure there is no activity lurking in difficult to reach areas. To my hypochondriac/health-obsessed hodgers out there, I can't stress enough the importance of staying up to date with your post-treatment scans!

So, my appointment was smooth and painless. However, I did have one unfortunate observation. During treatment, I was always the youngest patient in the waiting and infusion rooms. There is no surprise there, since cancer rates increase with age. Yet for whatever reason the waiting room was filled with young patients this time. I couldn't help but overhear a particularly sad exchange between the check-in receptionist and a patient:

"Do you have a port?" she asked.
"A what?" he replied.

She quickly put on a smile as she said, "Nevermind. The doctor will see you shortly."

I had no idea what a port was before I found myself in the midst of the cancer world, and this young man -- who couldn't have been over 30 and looked as healthy and as strong as an ox! -- didn't either. And why should he? Cancer should be one of the last thing a young person should have to worry about.

I don't know what kind of cancer he had, but my fingers are crossed that his treatment goes well, and that he'll come out of everything healthier than ever.

While young adult cancer is by no means "common" -- hence why it was so surreal to see so many young people at the oncology office -- the National Institute of Health estimates that over 70,000 young people (ages 13-39) are diagnosed with some form of cancer each year -- representing about 5 percent of all cancer diagnoses. Cancer is a shitty thing no matter how old you are, but there are issues unique to young people which makes cancer particularly difficult to deal with. Luckily, there are many organizations that can help young adults with cancer-related issues ranging from anxiety/depression to financial woes to how to pick up your life after a cancer diagnoses. Here are a few that I have found to be particularly helpful:

1. First Descents
2. Gilda's Club
3. Cancer Care
4. Cuck Fancer
5. Stupid Cancer
6. Cancer and Careers

Here is another list of even more organizations and scholarship programs. 

In other medical news, I went to the dentist for the first time in close to two years. I was just about to go for a check up and teeth cleaning when I was diagnosed last summer, but had to put it on hold during treatments because of a risk of infection. I had to continue to delay it because of the two extra months of blood thinners, which meant that by the time I was in The Chair I was terrified that my mouth had become a haven for cavities. Thankfully, my body seems to have done its job in that department, and I was cavity free! The highlight of the visit is when the dentist said that everything was "pretty uneventful and boring".

After a year of horrendous medical news -- with most doctor's visits for treatment, rather than preventative care, to be called "pretty uneventful and boring" was like music to my ears!