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
