DEVASTATING DIAGNOSIS
1:06 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
September 2008, one week until our trip to New Zealand. Christchurch, Mt Hutt, Hanmer Springs here we come. Finally a trip overseas that was not a soccer tournament. Relaxation, fun, laughter and piece of mind. Two days before take off I went to my GP to have some lumps looked at in my neck, groin, and arm pits. I stepped into my GP's room and she asked how I was.. I showed her my lumps and the look on her face was not one I'd hoped for. Before long she handed to me referrals for an Ultrasound, CT Scan, Biopsy, PET Scan and Blood Test. She said get these done ASAP! Well that was not to happen, I managed to get one or two done before we flew out on our holiday.. the rest can wait til i get back.. I've had the lumps for 2 years and the 2 doctors before this one couldn't find anything so whats the rush really I thought. The first doctor just shrugged his shoulders after sending me for a biopsy and the results coming back with unknown. The second doctor 2 weeks prior to seeing the one who diagnosed me didn't even think about sending me for any tests and just said my glands were swollen all over my body for an unknown reason but hey, take these anti-inflammatory tablets until they are finished and we will see how you are then. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from this so called medical practitioner. Did he think I was a fuck head?! I didn't get the prescription he gave me, it was just a waste of time and money. That's when I went out to see the GP I can rely on, Dr Stephanie Sia.
So, on my return from NZ I had the rest of my scans done. I made an appointment to see my GP and was in to see her quicker than I had expected. Stephanie called me in, and before too long we were talking big words.. Stephanie gave me my diagnosis, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. It meant nothing to me so I asked her to shorten the term. That's when my world came crashing down around me. As you can imagine, uncontrollable crying, blank thoughts, numb. I was at the appointment on my own and thinking the worst didn't even cross my mind. I left the appointment for the drive home (45 mins) in peak hour traffic, first call - my partner, Peta. She answered the phone and nothing came out of my mouth, just the sound of a 27yr old crying. I didn't have to say anything for Peta to know it was something very bad so we just cried together on the phone until I settled enough to continue driving. I just wanted to get home but at the same time I wanted to be alone, but with family as well. I didn't know what I wanted but I know my world had just changed. I then called my sister Amanda and informed her who surprisingly was very together than I thought she would have been and asked her to call mum as it hurt to much to keep telling everyone.
So, the family was informed, devasted, lost as was I.
So, on my return from NZ I had the rest of my scans done. I made an appointment to see my GP and was in to see her quicker than I had expected. Stephanie called me in, and before too long we were talking big words.. Stephanie gave me my diagnosis, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. It meant nothing to me so I asked her to shorten the term. That's when my world came crashing down around me. As you can imagine, uncontrollable crying, blank thoughts, numb. I was at the appointment on my own and thinking the worst didn't even cross my mind. I left the appointment for the drive home (45 mins) in peak hour traffic, first call - my partner, Peta. She answered the phone and nothing came out of my mouth, just the sound of a 27yr old crying. I didn't have to say anything for Peta to know it was something very bad so we just cried together on the phone until I settled enough to continue driving. I just wanted to get home but at the same time I wanted to be alone, but with family as well. I didn't know what I wanted but I know my world had just changed. I then called my sister Amanda and informed her who surprisingly was very together than I thought she would have been and asked her to call mum as it hurt to much to keep telling everyone.
So, the family was informed, devasted, lost as was I.
0 comments:
Post a Comment