My journey with Cancer

I will be going back to the doctor soon.  I am afraid of what she will tell me.  I sure hate to hear those chemo words.  I feel where this body is headed.  I will continue with trying to keep a good diet and living stress free.  ( have not figured that one)

For now I will enjoy and take things a day at a time.

Debbie's Blog: My journey with Cancer

Debbie's Blog: My journey with Cancer

Harry wants his picture to be seen.

Doctors

I would like to tell people interested in my disease where I have decided to seek treatment.

I see two different doctors.

The first is Dr. Lauren Pintor-Brown.  She is a Lymphoma specialist and works at UCLA.  She seems to always have a fellow with her.  She is very old fashion. Likes to do her medical records by hand instead of using te computer.  I like her alot.  She is very patient and knows how to listen well.  She treats me as if I am her only patient and eems to be on top of things.  She has a very busy practice.  I don't think she ever turns away a patient just because she is so good hearted.

My other doctor is Dr. Michael Keating, professor of Medicine at MD Anderson in Houston Texas.  

Dr. Keating is special because he not only sees patients and heads up a global organization, CLL Global Research Foundation.  Disease has no boundries.  Dr. Keating is founder of CLLGlobal Reasearch Foundation.  This foundation is global and is dedicated to the development of curative CLL therapies.  Be sure to check out the website to read about it.  WWW.CLLGLOBAL.ORG.

I hope that I am covered with my medical care since I have a lymphoma specialist and a leukemia specialist.  These two docs seem to be the top of the crop.  I am hoping that they know exactly what they are doing and will offer me the highest quality care.

My journey with Cancer

I want to make a blog to keep friends and family updated on my lymphoma/leukemia.

First of all I would like to give a brief discription of the disease to help those understand what I have been diagnosed with.  September 2006 I GOT A DIAGNOSIS OF INDOLENT non Hodkins Lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia.  The diseases are very similar where lymphoma affect your lymph nodes and leukemia is a blood cancer and has an affect of your blood.   My disease was diagnsised thru my enlarged lymph nodes.

These symptoms develp slowly and is called indolent non hodgkins lymphoma.  They call it a wait a watch progarm.  They did not want to give treament untill the diease starts toshow symptoms.  I have called it a wait and worry program.  Like sitting on a time bomb.

Some people with the disease can progress very slowly.  I was diagnosed Sept. 2006 but was told that i most likely had the disease a few years prior to diagnose it.

Signs that influence the decision to treat pations would be:

1-changes in blood counts.  WBC starts to increase. 

2-Enlarging lymph nodes

3-Anemia

4-fatique

5-sweats, especially at night.

It appears that I am getting a worsening of my symptoms so the doctor would like to treat me.  Boohoo.  I am currlently keeping a journal of my symptoms and will see the doctor at the first of March.

I will keep you informed of my orogress and doctor visit.  Sometimes it might me easier for me for interested people look at the blog rather than me having to repeat myself.

So this is the story for now.  Feel free to ask questions.

Debbie