Hubby Update
By dorannmwin
@dorannmwin (36392)
United States
June 19, 2011 11:42pm CST
Well friends, it has been a while since I've started a discussion because of everything that has been going on at home with Tom's diagnosis in April and also the end of the school year/beginning of summer.
With that said, I thought that you all might like an update on how he is doing. He was staged with IIB Hodgkin's Lymphoma in early May and started with six cycles of ABVD chemotherapy on the 14th of May. He takes a treatment every other Friday, so he has had three treatments so far of what is probably 12 treatments.
Last week he had an appointment with his oncologist. He has lost some weight since he started chemo (about seven pounds). However, on the brighter side of things, the enlarged lymph nodes in his neck and underarm have shrunk significantly. The doctor thinks it might be a possiblity that he will only need a total of eight treatments instead of the originally planned 12 treatments. He has to go for a repeat PET scan on the 6th of July so that his cancer can be restaged.
Overall, he seems to be doing very well now. His spirits were very low a few days after the first treatment, but now mentally he seems to be doing a lot better. Physically, he is tired, but getting through it. Continued prayers are very much appreciated.
Thank you for reading.
1 person likes this
15 responses
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
20 Jun 11
It had been very long i didn't joined in your discussion and had missed out what had been going on around your home. Your hubby had develop what kind of cancer? I never heard it yet. One of my aunt had successfully battled against cervix cancer last year. The most important is, your hubby must have a strong will to battle against cancer, never give-up. In the end i am sure he will be fine. My prayer is always with you.....
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Jun 11
He has Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which is a type of cancer that is in the lymphatic system. It was really, really scary for me at first. However, when he first saw the oncologist, the doctor really put me at ease because this kind of cancer has a very high cure rate.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Jun 11
There is no question in my mind that I will continue to give him my full support. He is my partner and if I wasn't able to give my support I don't think that there would be any partnership at all.
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
20 Jun 11
I am glad that Tom is starting to feel better. You are in my thoughts. I wish there was more I could do for you.
I bet the kids are excited for summer and will be there to help out as much as they can. I am not sure how old the kids are, but I think it may help Tom if the kids spend time with him by playing games and keeping him company.
Please take care.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Jun 11
Knock on wood, he has been able to work through the treatments so far, so that has been a good thing. The main issue that he has had is that he is really tired for a few days after each treatment.
As far as the kids go, they are trying to help out in every way that they can, which mostly means that they are doing chores around the house without really complaining about them. Of course, they also know that we are going to come up with a very special way to celebrate when this is all in the past for us.
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
23 Jun 11
That's great to hear! (hooray, does happy dance)
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
24 Jun 11
It makes me really happy as well. It is starting to feel like I'm really getting my husband back after almost two years.
@bounce58 (17380)
• Canada
24 Jun 11
I'm glad to hear that he is feeling better. Not through the woods yet, but the sun is certainly peeking through.
This must have been a very difficult challenge for you and your family. I hope you all are coping well.
Prayers do help, so I am sending some your way.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
25 Jun 11
No, not out of the woods yet, but it is certainly nice on the "good" weeks, the week that starts seven days after chemo to see him acting like the person that I fell in love with years ago. Thank you so much for your prayers.
@speedytypist (571)
• United States
20 Jun 11
You said, he had a lymph on his neck? How it looks like? it gets bigger? what are the symptoms? Sorry to ask because my sister has something on her neck but we are not sure if it cyst or what. It is under skin seems in the esophagus. We will be praying for your husband, he will get well soon. God bless.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Jun 11
It looked like a knot on one of his lymph nodes. The thing was that it didn't shrink with antibiotics and was on his neck for quite some time. His doctor finally sent him to a surgeon that did an ultrasound on it and when she measured it, she too was concerned about it so they did a lymphectomy (removal of the lymph node) so that it could be biopsied. It was the results of the biopsy that had got him diagnosed with Hodgkin's.
They do grow, some will grow rapidly and others will grow more slowly, that really depends on the kind of lymphoma that a person has.
@hardworkinggurl (37062)
• United States
23 Jun 11
Hi dorannmwin 
I wondered if all was well or not as I did notice you were not around for a while. I have strong prayers my dear friend for him and your family that he can recover from this.
I am glad he is in high spirits and especially glad you have been there for him this whole time. I will continue to pray my dear friend and hope that you too are getting plenty of rest during this time. As I am sure it is very hard on you as well.
Take care.
I wondered if all was well or not as I did notice you were not around for a while. I have strong prayers my dear friend for him and your family that he can recover from this.
I am glad he is in high spirits and especially glad you have been there for him this whole time. I will continue to pray my dear friend and hope that you too are getting plenty of rest during this time. As I am sure it is very hard on you as well.
Take care. @dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
24 Jun 11
For me, it is especially important that I be beside his side for everything. I've been to every doctor's appointment with him, including the first one when we ended up locked in the basement of the hospital for several hours because there was a tornado warning.
The only time that I haven't been there with him was when he had his pet scan and that is simply because I can't go back with him and he said since he doesn't find out anything on the day of the scan there is really no reason for me to go with him.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Jun 11
thanks dorannmwin I was wondering and tell h im that the cancer patients who keep an upbeat attitude heal much better and live
longer and also have higher rates of cure too I am glad they are'seeing some improvement as that sounds encouraging I have heard the treatments
are tiring too.I will keep sending my prayers for a wonderful recovery and speedy shrinking of everything so he will feel better and better. I am hoping all mylotters j oin me in prayers as our combined prayers do have much power. I found that mylot prayers sent to me when I feel anr ruined my right knee helped me to heal much faster. the shrinking of your husbans lymph nodes sound really good so perhaps he will not have to have all the treatment; heres hoping and God bless you both. keep us all posted dorann
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Jun 11
I will keep you all updated, that is important to me. With that said, I do think that there is a lot of power in the fact that there are many people that are praying for my husband. I know that the treatments go a long way toward his regaining his health. However, I think that the prayers that are being said on his behalf is what is giving him the ability to keep the positive attitude that he has.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Jun 11
I thought it was good news too. I will feel even better after the sixth when the scan is done and we will be able to learn even more. However, if there is one thing that I've learned through this experience, it is that we have to celebrate the little victories.
@wongchoiyee (7413)
• Malaysia
20 Jun 11
Less treatments mean he is getting better, right? I pray that he will overcome this soon and I hope you don't worry so much.
You take care of yourself and childrens,ok?
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Jun 11
Yes, if the doctor decides that he will need fewer total treatments it does mean that his cancer was very responsive to the treatment and it took more to get rid of it than is traditional. Of coures, every person responds to the treatments differently.
I am trying to make sure and take care of myself and the children and keep things as normal as possible for Kathryn and Paul through all of this.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
21 Jun 11
9im so very happy that our prayers are working. thank God for this news. you are to young to be loosing your dear hubby. im very glad God has smiled down for you. im still praying for him as the lord really appreciates our thanks also. hugs, bon@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
22 Jun 11
I do feel that I am too young to lose my husband. I couldn't even begin to imagine what my life would be like without him. I keep him in continous prayer because just a few months ago a friend of mine from while I was in college lost his wife, leaving him alone with two small children and I hate to see situations where that happens.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Jun 11
There are times that I think it is almost more than I can take. But then I remember that there are the two little souls that are counting on us and that gives me the energy to get through another day. Besides that, I know that we will soon be able to put this chapter of our lives in the past. If there is only one thing that I've learned from all of this it is that we should live our lives to the fullest and that is something that we were failing to do before.
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
20 Jun 11
I am glad to hear that he has had shrinkage and that they doctor thinks he might only need 8 chemo threatments. That is very good news. I hope he continues to get better! Will pray for your family!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Jun 11
Thank you very much for the prayers. I tend to think that they are just as important as the treatments that he is receiving. I have to admit that I was impressed when I noticed a lot of shrinkage after just the first treatment.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
20 Jun 11
I have prayed that your husband will have a complete recovery. I do not know why I am sure - but I am. May you all be blessed in a very special way as a family and keep strong. haven't been around much lately but I do pray for everyone on Mylot that needs prayer
haven't been around much lately but I do pray for everyone on Mylot that needs prayer@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Jun 11
He has actually said the same thing to me. I was nearly crushed when he got his diagnosis back in April, I really thought that the world was coming to an end. But he told me then and he has told me several times since then that he is going to be okay, he hasn't had any bad feeling about it and nothing really changed for us except that he now had a name for what has been ailing him.
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Jun 11
Oh so glad to hear his condition is improving!! I hope he will only have to do those 8 treatments instead of 12. I know chemo can really zap your energy - I've heard that as well as seen my cousin go through that. Tell him to hang in there . . . and you hang in there too, dorannmwin! I will continue to have you and your husband in my thoughts . . . may those enlarged nodes shrink away for good!!!! You take care of yourself, too, ok?
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Jun 11
The taking care of myself stuff is a little bit difficult for me because I'm concentrating all of my energy on him and on the kids. What I really need is a day to myself, but I also know that I would sound selfish to ask for that.
@skysuccess (8857)
• Singapore
20 Jun 11
dorannmwin,
I am sure everyone else here like me will appreciate your updates and pray that the Divine will intervene on your behalf for your husband's condition.
I think it is important to plan ahead at this stage and even look into preparing for home care when he is recovering at home. I believe that the house will need to be maintained with a level of cleanliness and that he will need to adhere to a strict balance diet which really might not be his usual favorites.
So, do be prepared both mentally and physically for what is to come. Take care and have a nice day.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Jun 11
For right now, the doctor said that the most important thing is that he makes sure that he is eating, and that means if he only craves junk food, he should eat that because it will help him to have energy. Then, after this is all said and done we will be seeing a nutritionist and some other people that will help us to ensure that he won't face a second cancer in the future.
