Diagnosis

I was 18 when I was diagnosed. It was a shock to say the least. I knew that I was sick, but just thought that I had stomach ulsers or something simple like that.

I had just began college. It was an exciting time of my life, making new friends, living away from home. In the college one day I decided to donate blood. It was something I had always wanted to do. It turned out that my iron levels were quite low so I was turned away and told to vsit my GP.

I had been feeling quite tired but thought this was due to my never ending social life in college. My GP decided to put me on a course of iron injections and tablets. I started these but they seemed to make me sick and I was getting even more tierd. When the doctor checked my blood again my iron levels had dropped even more.

At this stage I was begining to get a pain in my lower abdomen. It was really bad and I couldnt walk properly. I had also lost a lot of weight and was experiencing night sweats. I slept most of the day and was missing loads of college. My doctor sent me to a specialist.

I got my Christmas holidays from college and went into my local hospital for tests. I had a scope which showed up nothing. I then had an ultrasound and a CT scan. The doctor thought it must have been hodgkin's disease so that night I went to St. James hospital for a biopsy.

I got out of hospital on Christmas Eve and within a few days I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease stage iiib

The Treatment

I was given ABVD treatment. I was told I would be having chemo for 6-8 months,but I hoped it would just be the 6. Chemo was tough but I had to get on with it. It was the only way I would get better. I quit college for the year.

My hair was slow to fall out but I was very concious of it. I didnt get a wig till near the end of my treatment though, and even then I only wore it a few times cause it made my head really itchy.

After a few months of chemo, I started feeling breathless. It got so bad that I could hardly breath and I was taken into hospital. At first they thought it was pneumonia, but later they realised that it was an allergic reaction to the bleomicin. They took me of it and put me on a high dose of steriods instead.

The steriods made me really bloated and I had mood swings. I put on a lot of weight, but they cleared up the damage done to my lungs from the bleamicin. After a few months I asked to be taken off them and the doctor agreed.

My veins had long since disapeared,so I had a PICC line insedted into my arm. I would advise everyone to get one of these. They might look funny, but you will be glad of them when they dont have to poke you about ten times to try and find a vein!!! I had to get mine removed a week before I was finished treatment because i got an infection in it.

After 8 months of chemo I was declared well again. I went on a holiday to celebrate. Now one year later im back in college and loving life.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Its hard to believe that this time last year I was so sick. For a stranger to look at me now they would never know. My hair has grown back and I have lost most of the weight from the steriods. The only tell tale signs are two scars on my body: one on my neck from the biopsy, and one on my arm from the line.

Every day I think how lucky I am that they cought it in time, and that the drugs worked. Every day I think about my wonderful doctor with all his knowledge, ho worked hard to make me better,and my family and friends who stuck by me and helped me fight my illness.

I think of myself as being more mature now. I'm proud of myself...I fought a disease that many people die from, and that others just shudder when they hear it mentioned.

I have to admit though, Im frightened that it may come back. I suppose if you asked any cancer survivor, they would say the same. But I have been clear for four months, so thats a good sign.

I have changed my attitude in life since I became ill. If I want to do something, I will do it, no more hanging around. I listen more to people, as I realised during my illness that having someone to listen to you can mean the world.

If you are reading this and you have hodgkins disease, I want you to know something. Think of your worst day of chemo ever. Think of how sick you felt. And now think: thats as bad as its going to get. Its all uphill from here. And think that at the end, you will have won the battle, and will have something to really be proud of.

Thanks for listening

Louise