I never thought much about the lymph system...

It is with some trepidation I begin this blog. I realise it doesn't take much for a blog to fall below par however, for the following reasons I will give it a try:
1. for me, just to have a go
2. for those who know me and may wish to follow the interesting (or not so interesting) times ahead
3. for those who don't know me but might find themselves in a similar predicament.

So, it turns out I have Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I found out a couple of weeks ago and since then have enjoyed a CT scan, a bone marrow biopsy, a PET scan, a lung function test and a gated blood pool scan (heart function). A bit of discomfort, a few cups of watered down concrete to drink but all in all, not too bad. Tomorrow I visit the haematologist for my results and the proposed treatment.

Lymphomas are cancers of the lymph system. The lymph system plays a vital part in looking after your blood and in your immunity. There are lymph nodes in many parts of the body, the main ones being the neck, armpits, centre of the chest and the groin. Your spleen also plays a part in all of this too. For some reason, possibly a virus, cells in a lymph node freak out and decide not to play by the rules of the body and hey presto, a cancer.

If you were going to choose a lymphoma, I guess you'd take Hodgkin's. For one, it has a name - all the others are just lumped together as non-Hodgkin's. Another good reason to pick this one is that Deltra Goodrem had it and she's lovely so surely it can't be that bad :) Lastly, it is quite treatable and the chances of getting rid of it are good.

So, I'll see how I go with the blog and I'll see how I go with the lymphoma!