It all started with what I thought was an injury to my right hip from "banana boating" while on a family vacation in Myrtle Beach in 2006. The pain wouldn't leave, so I went through physical therapy with moderate success. But night sweats, incredible nightmares, and utter exhaustion were also taking place. The doctor decided to do a scan. The abnormalities showed that a referral to an oncologist was needed. It all went downhill very fast from there with liver failure and fainting spells. I was a Spanish teacher and could barely make it through the day. I don't recall a thing when I completely blacked out in class, and the principal took me home. Final diagnosis? Stage 4 diffuse small cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). My oncologist later told me I had two days to live.
The staff at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati was fantastic. My first stay there was 1½ weeks long in October 2006. Once the tests allowed, I had a variety of catheters in different places, medications aplenty, dialysis, a change in diet, and isolation from many since my immune system was so compromised. Of course, I wasn't allowed back in school for the rest of the year. Thank God for all of the sick days that I had accumulated, but I did miss my students!
There was hair loss, fatigue, and other bumps and bounces. There were plenty of visits back to the hospital for chemo treatment, CAT scans, and PET. scans. I followed the C.H.O.P. treatment, and by Christmas, I was in remission! The doctors told me that this type of lymphoma can come on strong but can be conquered relatively quickly with the proper medication. They were right!
But not so quick. I needed a stem cell transplant since my lymphoma had been so far along. Luckily, I was able to be an autologous donor, harvesting thousands of my own white blood cells to be transplanted back into me. The procedure in April 2007 was anticlimactic. The stem cell transplant was just an IV drip that lasted about 45 minutes. It smelled like creamed corn. I was expecting something more Hollywood-like.
Eventually, with prayers, support from family, friends, and Jewish Hospital, and medication, I was able to return to the classroom in the fall of 2007. But I need to mention this: the stem cell transplant was a success, but it took a while for those cells to grab hold. So about six weeks after, while sitting on our back deck on a beautiful May afternoon in Cincinnati, they grabbed hold. The most incredible experience I've ever had. It was like God reached down and turned on my light switch. Stamina came back, alertness came back, and my appetite was better. I was almost 100% me again! Absolutely incredible!
And two weeks later, I was on a trip with my wife and friend to Italy, with the oncologist's permission, of course!
Neil
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma
