Another Relapse

December 13, 2002|

Another Relapse

The latest test results came in. They weren’t a shock or a surprise, given the current circumstances- incredible amounts of pain, dry itchy skin and swollen lymph nodes. The Hodgkin’s Disease had returned.

There wasn’t anything I did or didn’t do to bring it back. Instead there were just a few Hodgkin’s Cells floating around that hooked up with each other and multiplied. It’s so amazing how it virtually happened over night. I had a phenomenal autumn, having gained most of my weight back and gotten into decent physical shape. One day, that’s all it took. The blip showed up on the PET Scan, the nodes swelled and the pain grew.

I started treatment immediately. Yesterday I had the first of four weekly infusions of Rituxin, a drug, that has some success against such reoccurrences. After the Rituxin there are few options available. Maybe get a second infusion of Billy’s cells. Maybe do low dose chemotherapy. Not much more. I can’t do any more transplants or high-dose chemotherapy regiments. It would probably kill me.

I’m extremely disappointed and hurt. Just as things were turning a corner in my life, this happens. Running out of options. Running out of time. Running out of hope.

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