Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)

In 2017, I was diagnosed with a rare and chronic form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). I was beyond devastated as I knew there was no cure for my condition, and I also knew my life would be altered in many ways. I was also finishing my last semester in graduate school and almost gave up my dream of graduating.

The first time I remember hearing of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) was through Team In Training (TNT), specifically from a brochure I picked up at a bike shop that invited one to train for a 109-mile bike ride with TNT. It was 2007, and I thought it sounded like a blast. I convinced my girlfriend at the time, Stacey, to join me. We used the occasion to buy some fancy new bikes.

It was July of last year. I had a cold I was getting over and thought I had a sinus infection. I went to an ENT who told me everything was okay. Days later I had swelling in my gums and went to a dentist. They took two X-rays and didn't like what they saw and sent me to an oral surgeon. He did a CAT scan and saw major bone loss.

I was first diagnosed with stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in December 2017. I got through Christmas very weak and started chemo the first week of January 2018. My son had given me a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal that Christmas, so Winnie became my mascot and went with me to every chemo treatment for the entire six months. Everyone at my cancer center loved to hug Winnie.

It was July 2014, I got up and went for a quick morning jog before work. It’s Iowa, it was hot and humid, but I was unusually winded after that jog. I figured it was due to being humid outside and finished getting ready to go to work (I was a registered nurse at a physician’s clinic doing triage). During the day, I continued to feel a little winded and noticed I had a cramp in my calf.

I was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma (BL) when I was 21 years old. It was the summer going into my senior year of college, and I had just returned home from a semester abroad. I assumed the stomachaches I was experiencing were because of the food and drinks I had while enjoying my time in Europe. I was actually told I had H.

My world started to turn upside down in January of 2019 after starting to exercise and trying to lose weight. At first, I thought I had pulled a muscle in my leg. The cramping continued to increase and turned into radiating bone pain. I went to get an x-ray to make sure nothing was broken. There were no broken bones or fractures, so they sent me on my way.

I was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in January 2018. I was lucky enough to get into City of Hope which is about 25 minutes from my house. I received all my treatment there. The first treatment was R-CHOP chemotherapy which required me to be in the hospital three to five days every three weeks for six months.

As a lymphoma survivor, I want to take a moment to share my personal journey, as well as tell you all how The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) was with me every step of the way.

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.