I was diagnosed on Friday with Non-Hodgkins B-cell lymphoma. I have a spleen the size of a new born. Its pretty uncomfortable, and my Doc wants to yank it out. Apparently you can live w/o a spleen. Then I gotta go thru Chemo. Not looking forward to the nausea. I was wondering if anybody knew someone with a similar sort of cancer and what they went thru. Just so I can have a heads up on what to expect. From what I've researched so far, I'm still in stage 1 (meaning it hasn't spread to other organs) and its Low-grade (meaning its growing very slowly). My Doc says after the surgery I'll be on antibiotics for pretty much the rest of my life. But hey, I could've been in stage 4 and it could've been High-grade. I think this is one of the more benign cancers you can get.

I like the positive attitude you have! Keep that up, and though the antibiotics may make you feel the world is a stage, and though the chemo may make you feel pukey..life is worth the high it gives you..no matter how battered your body may be! I'm really sorry for all that you have to go thru though...tons of hugs..

Hi Bandolin, Im sorry to hear about your health, But from how it sounds you have a great chance to beat this, And i really hope and know you will. If you go into Chemo, its never fun, it can make you very ill and nausea on top of it, you will also feel tired all the time. When i had mine some years ago a friend who had been through something like i was, He made it very clear, Smoke a joint b4 going, I laughed at him but he was right, I had no nausea and i didnt feel ill, i did get tired alot, but it was nice not having the other feelings. Im not telling you to smoke, im only telling you what worked for me. I wish you only the best!!! Peace Scott

My step-dad is going through chemo right now for bone cancer. They have really improved chemo therapy, so don't beleive all the horror stories you hear. When Will has a treatment, he hardly has any problems, just maybe a little tired. It may take a few tries before they fine tune how much of each chemical to give you. Hang in there! Peggy

Truly sorry to hear about this. My father had a viscious type of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, but of what ive learned, if its detected early, most of them have a high percentage for being curable, and some of them can be kept latent(?) for a normal lifetime. Fortunatly, it sounds to me like you have one of the milder forms(if thats a term that can be used at all for something like this), and with that positive attitude, ill bet that youll be able to fight this trough. Ill second Peggy here. Hang in there and try to stay positive! Rudy

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I hope you pursue the suggested treatments and all works out well for you. Me and mine will be praying for you.

Keep a positive attitude! I haven't had to go thru this so I can't offer any advice, but I work with a couple of women who have been thru it for Breast Cancer and seem to be doing well now that they are past the chemo. Hope it all works the way its supposed to for you, I know they are improving things constantly.

I'm glad that it's still in the early stage and that it can be operated on. My late father battled skin cancer for about 15 years. Passed through operations, radiation, chemo... and he was cured.

Good God, I'm so sorry to hear all of this Bandolin. My sincere and heartfelt well wishes :(

May I add my sincere wishes for your recovery. I have no knowledge of this particular cancer, but like Erlik, my late father fought off skin cancer and survived for many years after. I also worked for a while a few years ago with a wonderful lady who had twice had to go through ops, chemo and radiation for 2 different types of cancer. She was still working a 40 hour week at 73 years of age. Said it was keeping going that kept her going! So as they are all saying, keep that positive attitude, works well as that lady knew.

I had seminoma (don't ask) about 20 years ago, and even then, it was fairly curable. Just consider chemo a "preview" of old age. It does take the wind out of your sails, but usually it's done in stages, and after the first bout (the worst), they usually have some sort of regimen of anti-nausea drugs, which limits you to what I guess is a coupla months of 'morning sickness' (except it's 24/7..and I'm just guessing, ladies..;)
I've only known one person who had something like this, but he actually had Hodgkins (not the non), not the other. He's passed on, but it was a pretty agressive, and is hardly typical. If you're lucky, the new surgical techniques don't go in for a lot of slicing and dicing, just a coupla holes here and there, much quicker recovery. Good luck.

I'm sorry to hear all the bad news Bandolin, I'll pray for your recovery :) Don't let it get you down okay? One of my friends is currently recovering from a braintumor, and that seems to all be going pretty well! So I figure if they can cure a brain tumor they must most likely be able to cure your situation too! Hang in there and stay strong okay? Good luck!

Best wishes to you for an easy time during chemo. I've known people that had their church praying for them and had no ill effects at all. Had a friend that took vitamins and lots of C and had no effects at all so it can be done. Keep up the good attitude and you'll breeze through it...good luck!

Hang in there Curtis, My brother lost his spleen due to a rare disease called Marfan syndrome(prevents muscular regen). He does fine with the antibiotics though the marphan takes its toll in other ways. Also my mom has been through 2 different bouts and is a vibrant cancer survivor. She still works a full week and has plans to married in the spring. Chin up Pal, my thoughts are with you. Rod

Keep s positive and determined attitude, that can help you beat and overcome this and the chemo. Sorry to hear this but like you said it could be worse, sending a little magic your way.....

bandolin i'm sorry to hear this, keep the positive attitude up mate and you'll be fine. I can only tell you that after a dirtbike accident at the age of 13 my young brother had his spleen removed because of the damage the accident did to it. He is now 40 and has been living a very active life and still rides dirtbikes, he started riding them again a year after the accident and operation. I know its not the same thing but i believe he is also taking tablets for that reason, whether they are Antibiotics or not i don't know, he takes four a day is all i know.

Sorry to hear of your ailment, my thoughts and best wishes are with you for a speedy recovery. Ive just come off chemo back in July, it does knock the stuffings out of you and it affects different people differently. Some get all the side-affects while others only suffer a few. I rarely became nauseous but the few times that I did, it was not a pleasant situation. One day I was doing my weekly food shopping at the supermarket, being alone I needed to do this for myself, I became violently nauseous and broke out in sweats and chills (I was always running a temperature) but fortunately, except for once, did I ever follow up with vomiting. A friend advised me to carry some candy or sweets in my pocket that when the feeling of nausea comes over you, pop the candy in your mouth, its supposed to help it subside. What bothered me the most was the overwhelming feeling of always being tired and generally lethargic. All my body joints hurt, it was perpetual flu-like symptoms and unsteady on my feet and gait. The chemo kills indiscriminately from the inside out and this includes red and white blood cells. When your red cell count gets low you become anemic and the slightest exertion becomes a major task finding yourself with shortness of breath and wild heart palpitations, going up a flight of stairs feels like a marathon run on your muscles, your doctor will more than likely prescribe Procrit. This drug is often taken together with the chemo and it stimulates your bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Your white blood cell count must be watched very closely because once this count gets low, your immune system becomes deficient to fight off diseases. On many occasions this threatened to cut my treatment short or brought me close to hospitalization for blood transfusions. I usually kept to myself and stayed in my apartment like living in a bubble to protect myself from the outside environment and the danger of diseases. Always wash your hands. A major side affect concern of chemo is that it has a tendency to make you depressed and sometimes to the point of being suicidal. You must keep a close watch on this because it sneaks up on you slowly. One of my doctors other patients attempted suicide by cutting his/her wrists so my doctor was always on high alert. After my sixth month, everything began to bother me and I started to dwell on my misfortunes but this was my signal to inform the doctor and he put me on a mild anti-depressant: Paxil. After taking this for a few months, you must be weaned off of it slowly. Coming off too soon would throw your system into wack mood perhaps also making you suicidal. Invariably chemo will make you lose weight since one of the side affects is loss of appetite and taste. I lost 30 lbs only to regain them quickly after I came off treatment. I also suffered skin rashes and itching and had to go see a dermatologist for creams. Some people experience loss of hair or thinning, sometimes it grows back but not always. I guess it depends on your disposition and family traits. Read what side affects are caused by your treatment. You often will experience things which would make you question if its the drug causing this or is this an onset of a different ailment. Talk openly with your doctor and more importantly, make sure you fully trust your doctor. Its going to be a trying experience and you want your doctor to make himself or herself available to you at all times. All in all, remember that everyone is different. Whereas I was forced to take a one year disability leave from my job, such was my reaction, you OTOH, may not be likewise affected and be able to function well in your daily chores. What ever happens, I sincerely wish you the best.

Geez, what can I say, dude? Be well. :) -Jay

Quest you have just opened my eyes to a subject i had heard about and knew very little on. Thank you for this. The reason your friend told you to keep candy or sweets in your pocket is because the sugar in them will settle the stomach acid down and carrying candy or sweets is a lot easier than carrying a bag of sugar and a spoon :)

Bandolin, you have my best wishes for a speedy recovery. So happy you caught it before it went even further. ~Blessings~ Helen

Sorry to hear your news, bandolin. I'm at the age where a lot of friends and people I know have had cancer of one kind or another. All of them have survived (touch wood). One friend has had 5 different types of cancer over the last 25 years!! She just laughs about it now, says "well, it's no mystery what I'll die of eventually". Depression is a side-effect of any life-threatening condition, you suddenly have to come to terms with the fact that you're not immortal. So, like Quest says....be prepared for it, and recognize it when it starts happening.

I'd like to thank all you guys for your support and well wishes. I am deeply touched by your concern for me (a complete stranger). But I really don't want to bring the group down. I'm OK really, other than a little fatigue, I don't FEEL sick. Thank you Quest for you tut on Chemo. It was very informative. I wish your tut on UV Mapper was as detailed. ;-) As for the candy. I gotta admit I like xceiverx's suggestion better. I haven't had a toke in 20 years. Although I'm concerned, I'm not overwhelmed. There are folks out there alot sicker than me who have pulled thru. At any rate, I'll keep Brycing up until surgery which is in a couple of weeks. I am most humbled by all your support... Curtis

Well keep with the pozitive vibes, and get stoned on a regular basis. It's the only thing that kills the pain completly with my med-probs and is highly recomended...

Not a lot of people know this and I hope they don't make fun now. I know its not the same but I have Ulcerative Colitis and take lots o' meds steroids and other such nonsense for it because I refuse to have the surgery. The fun part is because of my family history from here on out I could have a colonoscopy every year or so and I am only 33 :(. You know what that means... bottoms up! I am sorry you have this and I hope you recover in good health. Oh and I am not to sure about that whole change your diet thing. I ate roots and bark for a while felt some better but it tasted like roots and bark! Nothing like a good steak! GET WELL!