Thanks to everyone for their prayers. Here is Johns story: Here is my Cancer Miracle story or almost Cancer story. I accept life as it is thankfully, accept the consequences of my choices and try to make the best of my current situation whatever it is. I told myself and others that I would be happy about my Cancer and accept everything that came my way while going through this short terrifying experience. I took a short break from work after completing a tough prolonged software release and I took time to play three 18 hole rounds over the course 5 days. Unfortunately, I did not break 80 and was mostly in the low 90s. :) In the middle of the golf trip, my lymph nodes started to become swollen in my face, neck, groin and legs along with severely blood-shot eyes. I had significant muscle pain along my hip and lower abdomen on both sides. I also had significant swelling in both my knees. I was showing no signs of fever, cough or flu. After a week, I became concerned with no subsidence in the lymph nodes and reduction in the blood shot eyes. I went to see a optometrist and a oncology doctor given my sisters recent fight with breast cancer just to be safe. The oncology doctor wanted to take a core of one lymph node in my neck or in my groin area. I choose to first speak with the doctor/cancer surgeon that would do a biopsy in the groin area since this is where it hurt the most if I decided to purse that direction. The optometrist gave me eye drops that immediately reduced the redness in my eyes but took about 10 days for my eyes to become close to normal. The blood shot eyes and swollen lymph nodes in 2 or more areas are signs of lymphoma. The cancer surgeon took a closer examination of all my lymph nodes and was a little alarmed that my left inguinal lymph nodes side were particular harder than normal whereas the rest of my lymph nodes were swollen but not so hard. He recommended that I not get a core but a full lymph node removal to have enough material to thoroughly examine the lymph node. I asked him directly if this was really needed and I would prefer not to have surgery. He said I should do it based on his examination. I scheduled for outpatient surgery for the biopsy. On the day of my biopsy, my lymph nodes were still significantly swollen along with my blood shot eyes that were gradually getting better. This was about 2 weeks after I first noticed this had the flare up. Still no symptoms of flu, cough or sore throat. I was awake for the lymph node removal and the cancer surgeon said the lymph node they removed (the biggest and hardest one) was abnormal and sliced it to show me the internals of the lymph node. It was not homogenous in color and white spectacled closer to the center. This visual analysis conveyed a strong negative prognosis. I told my family to brace for the worse. Shortly after my biopsy, I started taking muscle recovery in the hopes that I had a abdominal muscle pull (Not something else) from all the golf I did and this would help my muscles in the recovery process. I also started to notice that my lymph nodes were starting to become smaller each subsequent day after the biopsy. I noticed remission and also informed my cancer surgeon of this. The first results from the biopsy was ATYPICAL LYMPHOID PROLIFERATION and they asked for additional testing for a number of immunohistochemical stains that was Wednesday of the following week. I went down and paid for the additional biopsy tests and received the ATYPICAL LYMPHOID PROLIFERATION lab results. To be thorough, my oncology doctor recommended that I see a contagious disease doctor to rule out other causes (e.g. mononucleosis) just before the biopsy. The beginning of the following week (Monday - Philippine time) after my biopsy, I went to see the contagious disease doctor and take additional tests. The next day (Tuesday - Philippine Time), I went to get my contagious diseases results and all tests were negative. I did not have any of the contagious diseases they tested for. I received the results of the contagious disease tests at the lab. I also asked if the results of my immunohistochemical were in because I wanted to review that with my doctor and they were due about that time. They said wait a minute. One of the lab technicians came over with the results of immunohistostains that were just completed because I was informed several hours earlier that the results were not in. They said that they were wanted to order more tests. At the moment, I received a text from the nurse to pay for the additional tests they wanted to run. The results the lab technician was holding showed positive for all of the immunohistochemical stain tests except one and the diagnosis was FOLLICULAR LYMPHONA. I was very alarmed at that moment and I asked for the results he had in his hand because there were additional markings on it and wanted to keep all information. Believing that I just received the complete analysis of the first set of immunohistochemical results, I was pretty much devastated. I immediately took the results to the cancer surgeon who had already left for the day and I would be able to get an appointment with the doctor a few days later. I then took the results to the oncology doctor that I found had just left as well. This was Tuesday and I was only able to see the oncology doctor on Thursday and the cancer surgeon on Friday. The normal process has been for me to pick up my results and see the doctor. I emailed my family that (Tuesday - Philippine time) about the results and my sister was upset that I was just handed the results. I had become accustomed to that process and assumed that was normal for the Philippines. The next day (Wednesday - Philippine Time) I emailed my work to let them know what has recently been happening and that it would affect my work and I would need to back off my hours and figure out where I stand physically. Thursday, I brought the results to my oncology doctor and he was very surprised by the results and said that I looked healthy and strong. It didnt make sense. He ordered another review of the results and sent me back to the lab to give it to them. He also explained the treatment he recommended for follicular lymphoma. This was 6 months of chemotherapy with a follow up drug for 2 years that would total about 50,000 USD. I took the request to the lab but I was pretty much resigned to the current lab diagnosis. This seemed like a fan trying to make a basketball shot full-court. Friday, I went to see my cancer surgeon and showed him that most of my lymph nodes were about 25% of the original size and have shrunk dramatically. It even appeared to me that they may have been smaller before I even had the flare up. After the biopsy scar examination, he informed me that I had HYPERPLASIA and there was nothing to worry about. Shocked again, I said that is not the results that I got the from lab. He said what results do you have? I gave him the results that stated FOLLICULAR LYMPHONA and he took them out of his office while muttering not again and called the lab. There was a heated discussion for a few minutes but it seemed an eternity to me. He came back into the room and said he confirmed with the lab that these are my final results and I DO NOT have FOLLICULAR LYMPHONA. The results I had were preliminary results that I should not have had. He informed me that they ordered additional tests to be able to give a thorough diagnosis. This has been a very stressful time and I have also lost about a 7lbs in the last three weeks that we thought may have been related to lymphoma. Dazed and confused, I informed my family and I feel like I have been given a new lease on life. Apparently, I had some wicked viral infection that my body fought and conquered in about 2 or 3 weeks. I was probably healthy enough to show no flu-like symptoms because I consistently workout and eat healthy foods. Both the contagious disease doctor and the cancer surgeon independently told me that some viral/flu was what I probably had. There could have also been an additional allergic reaction. Lymphoma does not normally go down on its own. I was told to be watchful of my lymphatic system and I will be even more proactive with my health. I am sorry if I caused anyone undue stress. I was giving everyone the best information at the time that I had it. I still need to physically rest up from this ordeal and fully recover from the biopsy. I believe this could be a Miracle or a perfect storm of rare circumstances. It also seems like a pronounced divine guiding in life but I believe everything is more or less that way in life anyway whether good or bad. We just seem to recognize and classify singular events like these as those types. Either way, I have a different perspective on life now, I feel like I have been given a Do Over and I am happy for this experience because I feel like I will make better decisions from it. John
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 13:23:41 +0000