Cancer Blog - Rachel (rachel2000)

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Name:
Rachel (rachel2000)

Member Since:
March 17, 2009

Location:
St. Louis, Missouri

Birthday:
January 4, 1985

Type of Cancer:
Hodgkin Lymphoma

Diagnosis Date:
August 2008

Stage of Cancer:
Stage 4

Lymph Node Involvement:
Yes

Surgery:
Lymph Node Removal, Lumpectomy

Radiation:
yes

Chemotherapy:
Vinorelbine (brand name: Navelbine), Gemcitabine (brand name: Gemzar), Adriamycin (chemical name: doxorubicin)

Profile:
Cancer Survivor

What I Hate Most About Cancer:
How hard it is to get rid of.

What I Have Learned From Cancer:
Your close ones are affected and changed, too, for better or worse.

Things My Supporters Can Do To Help:
Good thoughts and prayers and any general pointers from native New Yorkers

Alternative Cancer Treatment:
I'm taking a slew of herbal supplements, my new expreriment.

Metastasized? Where?:
After successful radiation to the chest, doctors' found it had metastasized to my abdominal lymph nodes.

Cancer Symptoms:
Most notably, I was itching horribly, and I lost 25+ lbs. Also, I wasn’t sleeping and had vivid nightmares and night sweats when I did. I had a lumpy neck, fatigue, a cough that lasted for months, and finally, my left lung had collapsed (which lead to the diagnosis).

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects:
3 bone marrow biopsies
lumpectomy of left side of neck
failed insertion of chest port (too much swelling underneath)
successful insertion of arm port
chest catheter insertion, removal

Radiation Description, Dates & Side Effects:

Received 5 weeks of localized radiation to the chest

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:
ABVD- nausea, fatigue, wooziness, thinning
hair
ICE- nausea, fatigue, wooziness, total hair
loss, bleeding gums and mouth sores
GND- some fatigue, mouth sores

Bone Marrow Transplant Description, Dates & Side Effects:

Trying to shrink tumors down to nil before going ahead with stem cell transplant. I now will be needing an outside donor transplant.

Immune Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:

Lenalidomide- Generally well tolerated

Cancer Symptoms

Most notably, I was itching horribly, and I lost 25+ lbs. Also, I wasn’t sleeping and had vivid nightmares and night sweats when I did. I had a lumpy neck, fatigue, a cough that lasted for months, and finally, my left lung had collapsed (which lead to the diagnosis).

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects

3 bone marrow biopsies
lumpectomy of left side of neck
failed insertion of chest port (too much swelling underneath)
successful insertion of arm port
chest catheter insertion, removal

Radiation Description, Dates & Side Effects

Received 5 weeks of localized radiation to the chest

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects

ABVD- nausea, fatigue, wooziness, thinning
hair
ICE- nausea, fatigue, wooziness, total hair
loss, bleeding gums and mouth sores
GND- some fatigue, mouth sores

Bone Marrow Transplant Description, Dates & Side Effects

Trying to shrink tumors down to nil before going ahead with stem cell transplant. I now will be needing an outside donor transplant.

Immune Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects

Lenalidomide- Generally well tolerated

Comments:

Rachel, you are so young. You are going to be fine. Youth, good docs, good meds and one day you will look back on this as a way thing of the past. Let us know how you are doing. Linda

Posted on November 17, 2009 at 8:10:49 AM by pattyputty

hi, rachel. i have been thinking about you lately and wondering how you are doing in new york. i hope they are curing you as we speak. please know i continue to pray for you and think about you alot. keep the faith. debby

Posted on November 9, 2009 at 1:37:46 PM by debby

You poor poor young lady. I am 5 hours away. You say the word and my wife and I will ride down, give you a ride and have lunch. This is a real offer no fake. But let me know soon because winter will be here soon enough.

I just asked the head cook and bottle washer and she said, “cool” I could bring my brother and sister so you could ride more than one.

Let me know
Mac

Posted on August 21, 2009 at 5:55:04 PM by rigidridr

Hi Rachel,

I am a survivor of Stage 2 Hodgkin’s – did my 6 months of ABVD chemo and finished in December. You’re very positive which is AWESOME and that is what will really help you get thru this. For me – I had no syptoms of the cancer and was blessed that a doctor felt some small nodes in my neck on a routine visit!! I would probably never have realized what was wrong – until I was way past the Stage 2 point. You look great. I hope the new treatments really kill this crappy disease and have you healthy very soon once again!
All best,
Lauren

Posted on March 27, 2009 at 10:16:59 AM by lauren1979

Rachel2000's Stats

Posts:	14
Photos:	0
Events:	0
My Supporters:	33
I Support:	56
Comments:	79
Views:	14302

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