Declaring War on Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
After receiving my husband’s diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, we researched everything we could find on the subject. Summarized here are the first steps you must take after receiving this diagnosis. Go ahead and experience the full gamut of emotions. You are entitled. Then regain down to the business of fighting this disease!
My husband has Type 2 Diabetes and pre-chemotherapy lab tests revealed that he was slightly anemic. These were two very vital factors in the treatment belief. Your overall health condition as well as any prescriptions and over the counter drugs AND supplements you are taking have a huge impact on both the treatment and what you can expect from treatment. In our case, the diabetes necessitated a close collaboration between the oncologist and the endocrinologist. The anemia also had to be proactively and consistently dealt with because chemotherapy can and often does cause anemia.
Have your primary care physician and any specialists you are seeing forward your medical history and current treatment plans to the oncologist prior to your initial consultation. Your oncologist will need this information and will usually request it from your doctor(s). But, by making sure that this information is forwarded before your first visit, you will help your oncologist to be better prepared to answer your questions about your specific case.
Preparing for the initial consultation with your oncologist:
In matters regarding your personal health you are the MVP. You have to participate. You have to be involved whole-heartedly. You have to know exactly what is happening in your body at all times. And, you have to understand your treatment options completely. Your active participation is vital to the success of your treatment plan and aftercare. Prepare to take notes and ask questions. If you have problems with medical terminology or have difficulty adjusting to the diagnosis emotionally (and who wouldn’t? ), take someone with you who can understand and steal notes. In fact, I recommend having someone with you whether you think you can handle all this or not. This person is your advocate, your ally and an integral part of your team. I can’t emphasize strongly enough that this person HAS to be someone who will be actively and completely involved in your care! If you are lucky enough to have a spouse (or significant other) or adult child or close friend who can fill this role then you are truly blessed. I find it necessary also to situation right here and now that this is ALL about you and no one else’s feelings need be considered. Settle the person who will fill the role. Period.
Okay, you have your support onboard. You have had your medical history and list of your prescription medications sent to the oncologist. In addition, I recommend the following:
- Remove a list of all over-the-counter drugs, supplements and vitamins you engage on a regular basis.
- If you haven’t already, thoroughly research Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and available treatment options.
Be prepared to discuss what you’ve found with the oncologist.
- Have a prepared list of questions to ask the doctor. Questions you might consider include:
Do I have the aggressive or indolent form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
Which sub-type of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma do I have?
How much experience do you have treating this type of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
What are my treatment choices for this sub-type?
Which course of treatment is typically recommended for this sub-type?
What does this treatment entail?
What can I expect from this course of treatment and what are the known side effects?
What adjustments need to be made regarding my current prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs and supplements?
What can I do at home to enhance treatment effectiveness? (If you don’t get a definitive answer to this, don’t worry about it. It’s favorite in Western medicine. We’ll deal with that in a later article.)
How will we measure the effectiveness of treatment?
Will this treatment cure the sub-type I have?
What is the backup plan if this treatment doesn’t work?
You may have additional questions not covered here. Ask them. Make sure you understand the answers. If you don’t, now is the time to ask for explanations in lay terms. Knowledge and a firm grasp on the answers to these and any other questions you have are your armament. After all, you ARE going to war and you’re going to win!
Resources:
Texas Oncology, Inc. (www.texasoncology.com). A pioneer of community-based cancer treatment.
Dalhousie University (2008, February 16). A Ray Of Sunshine In The Fight Against Cancer: Vitamin D May Assist. ScienceDaily.
RadiologyInfo (www.radiologyinfo.org) – Current and accurate patient information about radiologic procedures and radiation therapy.
Just Cancer (www.justcancer.org). R-CHOP Chemotherapy (Oct 21, 2009).
HealthCommunities.com, Inc. – Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Types
Patients Against Lymphoma (www.lymphomation.org). Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Classifications and Sub-types.
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