Donate

Support For You

Andy’s Story – Testicular lymphoma

Back in March of 2003 while working in Auckland, I was diagnosed with testicular lymphoma. A orhidectomy was carried out I commenced 6x cycles of CHOP with 2spinal injections of Methotrexate Chemo. This was not pleasant but I had tremendous support from my work mates and the Waitamata Health Board who I worked for.

I continued to work until June 2005 when I retired the plan was to go to Australia and with my wife to go around Australia. But first we had to go to Rockhampton where our daughter was going through a nasty divorce.

Whilst at Rockhampton I had follow ups by Dr Glen Kennedy. In July 2006 I started to get bad headaches and on going to Rockhampton Hospital it was discovered that the lymphoma had masticated to my brain. Dr Kennedy instructed that I was to flown down to Brisbane the following morning An operation was performed and then it was all on I was to spend 13 weeks in Brisbane hospital at first, I had further chemo only this time it was a much more powerful concoction, I also had an Omeia installed in my head so that Methotrexate could be administered.

On completion (Late Dec 2006) I had an Autologous SCT. This was the most agonizing thing I have ever had for days on end I was hallucinating I had worked with the criminally insane and I had many flashbacks of things they had done, working with that sort of person does effect you even though I thought it didn't.

Following all that I then had radiation. In Oct 2007 I was feeling so down that I got to the stage that I didn't have long to live and we put aside any hope of our caravan trip and came back to New Zealand.

We found that my problem was a saddle PA and am now on a small dose of Warferine and no other medication. I last saw my hematologist in July and she doesn't want see me until July next year.

I want to say the support that I received from Dr Kennedy and all the staff in ward 5 of Brisbane Hospital was out of this world. Also the help my family and I had from the Brisbane Lymphoma society was magnificent without them we would not have managed.

Andy

Support and information

Patient Online Forum

Find Out More

Order Our Resources

Find Out More

Fundraise for us

Get started

Cart
Checkout - $0.00
  • 0
  • 1
Share This

Contact Lymphoma Australia Today!

Patient Support Hotline

General Enquiries

Please note: Lymphoma Australia staff are only able to reply to emails sent in English language.

For people living in Australia, we can offer a phone translation service. Have your nurse or English speaking relative call us to arrange this.

Useful Definitions

  • Refractory: This means the lymphoma does not get better with treatment. The treatment didn’t work as hoped.
  • Relapsed: This means the lymphoma came back after being gone for a while after treatment.
  • 2nd line treatment: This is the second treatment you get if the first one didn’t work (refractory) or if the lymphoma comes back (relapse).
  • 3rd line treatment: This is the third treatment you get if the second one didn’t work or the lymphoma comes back again.
  • Approved: Available in Australia and listed by the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA).
  • Funded: Costs are covered for Australian citizens. This means if you have a Medicare card, you shouldn’t have to pay for the treatment.[WO7]

You need healthy T-cells to make CAR T-cells. For this reason, CAR T-cell therapy cannot be used if you have a T-cell lymphoma – yet.

For more information on CAR T-cells and T-cell lymphoma click here. 

Special Note: Although your T-cells are removed from your blood for CAR T-cell therapy, most of our T-cells live outside of our blood – in our lymph nodes, thymus, spleen and other organs.