Best Wishes

This week, I originally planned on writing about some happy memories from my past, but recent events have changed my mind.

I may not feel well and am still in the midst of recovery from treatments, however my treatments worked and I am extremely fortunate to be in full remission. I am lucky to have insurance that covered my treatment costs. I don’t wish or want disease, especially cancer, on anyone.

There are many who will be diagnosed this year and not have insurance for treatment or will receive treatment that will not work. These people are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, family, friends, lovers, spouses, co-workers, and complete strangers. No one is safe from this disease and research must be done. I’m not asking for donations of money, but take the time to think about others less fortunate then you and maybe say a prayer for better times whether you are religious or not.

Here’s my topic for the day:

Follicular Lymphoma is the second most commonly diagnosed non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Approximately 22% of all non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma patients are afflicted by Follicular Lymphoma. It is a slow growing lymphoma that arises in B-cells (a type of white blood cells). It is considered a “low-grade” lymphoma due to its slow nature in behavior and how is looks under the microscope.

Some patients may never need treatment, although the median survival time is 10 years with a wide range from less then one year to 20 years. Because the disease moves so slow, diagnosis usually goes unnoticed until it is too late. By the time, most patients (80-85%) are diagnosed the disease is widespread throughout the lymph nodes, bone marrow and major organs.

Now, I am not afflicted with Follicular lymphoma but my father-in-law is. His daughter and I may have our differences and are no longer together but he has always been a gentleman towards me. He helped to move us in when we bought a new house. He came and mowed the lawn when I was too sick and unable to. He went from shop to shop and person to person for donations towards a benefit to help us when I was unable to work. He always had a Memorial Day BBQ and Christmas morning breakfast at his house. He always gave his time to help when and where it was needed. I wish nothing bad for this man; just good fortune and health. Unfortunately that isn’t the case.

He and I have many things in common. We are both divorced. We both live at home with our parents. We both love our kids. We both have fought and continue to fight battles with lymphoma. The difference - my fight is on the upswing and his is going down.

I have recently been made aware that he will enter the hospital on Thursday for back surgery. Due to the disease and treatment, he now has a fracture in his back. (I also fractured my back due to treatments.) Radiology shows a mass in his back near the fracture. Doctors don’t know if this mass is a bone fragment from the fracture or a possible tumor and they won’t know until he is laid open on an operating table.

I want to send my prayers and best wishes out to George, my father-in-law. He is a humble man, who doesn’t ask from anyone. I hope everyone will join me in sending good karma his way. I may not be religious but I believe good spirits and positive thoughts can be uplifting to the body, mind and soul.

~Thank you and Cheers!