I am in the process of being diagnosed with some type of lymphoma. I late February, I chanced on a lump in my armpit. I’ve been through my HMO’s protocols enough to know to look it up and read their recommendations: Wait a week and recheck, could be an infection. A week later, not in my armpit, but closer to the base of my breast. (I’ve since been told they don’t move; I have multiple enflamed lymph nodes.)

At this point, thinking my doctor would want more information, I attempted to get a mammogram but was told, because of the lump, I needed to see a gynecologist. Next day, I met a wonderful one who put me at easy from the jump with: ‘You thought you could avoid us.’ She then explained why the protocol. She then set me up for not only the mammogram but ultrasound which I had a few days later. During ultrasound, I was asked if I had been diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma. I thought that strange, but went home and read about both. Meanwhile, the biopsy that same person did came back two days ago and my primary has been very supportive and got me setup with the Oncology dept. which called me yesterday. I now have a slew of appointments in the coming weeks, including CT scans of just about my whole body.

I say all this because I have been keeping all of it from my wife who has lupus and is busy taking care of her elderly parents one state over. She left the day before my mammogram and will return the day before I meet with the oncologist. I have been telling some of it to others but I have missed my wife’s presence and don’t want to dump all this on her when she walks through the door. She will want to problem solve but I know she will be exhausted from taking care of her parents and usually has a lupus flare after their visits. So, thanks, even if there’s no response, it was good to write this and lets me know I need to start journaling about this.

I was stressing about what type of lymphoma, but got written report that shows they are not sure, but leaning towards CLL.