The details up to now... (May 22, 2010)

I woke up on April 25th (after a smashing party @ our friends Mac & Donna) with a very uncomfortable swollen neck) Prior to that week, I did feel that something was brewing (sore glands etc), but never had I experienced the swollen neck - I felt like a football player. Colin and I did go to the walk in clinic when we arrived home - only to get a puffer, and go for blood tests the following day. I again went to my Doctors office a few days later, where the nurse practicioner was "stumped" - She scheduled a thyroid ultrasound. A few days later, my blood work returned "normal", but the pressure in my neck and head were unbearable - I went to Emerg in Meaford, where they gave me intervenous steriods to help with the swelling - 3x over 24 hours - along with a variety of other tests - On Friday April 30, the Doc @ emerg ordered a chest xray, and thats where it was discovered there was something abnormal - needless to say, my blood pressure was somewhere in the 200/120 as well... So off to be admitted to Collingwood Hospital - I spent the next 4 days in the Hospital (excellent care by the way) having tests, monitoring vitals etc. Through a CAT scan, it appeared I have a mass in Mediastinal area (upper chest), which is putting pressure on my heart, causing Superior Venacava Syndrome -

All very scary, and quite a shock -

I was able to go home after the w/e when I had stabalized, and had been referred to a thoracic surgeon for a surgical biopsy for the following Friday - He would remove some of this mass and then a course of action would be established from there.

On May 7, 2010, I had the biopsy @ South Lake Regional Health Center in Newmarket - I had to stay overnight (not my favorite experience to date due to a very chatty and annoying roommate... oh and I was STARVING!)

I have a little scar, which I find quite unsightly, but in the big picture of it all... its not so bad

The surgeon called a few days afterwards and indicated that it all points to Hodgkins Lymphoma, but several other pieces had to be further tested, so it has been a bit of a long wait over the last 2 weeks to get the final pathology report.

Tommy (my dad) this week has taken it upon himself to try to get to the bottom of this waiting game, and make some headway with coordinating all these doctor's offices and information (and I do thank you dad!) So, it appears that I will have a consult appointment with an oncologist on Tues (may 25) providing that the rest of my pathology report is delivered (fingers crossed)

This is where I think I will start to get scared... I have spent the last 2 weeks feeling not too bad, enjoying the weather, having lunch with friends, shopping and my favorite 3 days were spending the w/e at Jen's cottage enjoying Georgian Bay, hanging with the kids and playing games (that by the way, I did not lose one game of dice or backgammon - I was unstoppable) - So these weeks, have been quite pleasant, but reality will start to set in soon.

I will be able to get through all of this, I have no doubt, but it won't be alone, or without the support of all my "peeps" -