Tags
Baby, Barts hospital, blood test, cancer, dead, results, spleen, update
When you get people asking if you are still ok, after my blood test results of three weeks ago, you know that its been too long since you posted. In fact, it’s been about six weeks. My only excuse is that I’m lazy and thought about it a lot, but didn’t get round to it. (Thinking about it is almost the same as doing it. Right? Right.)
Anyway I went to my blood test about three weeks ago. For those of you tuning in, this is something I do every nine months or so. It shows how my marginal zone splenic lymphoma cancer is progressing, whether it’s grown by much, and generally how healthy I am.
The week of the blood tests I had a scan with Jo (4 weeks to go, all looking good, touch wood) and also a six hours antinatal class marathon… Three seperate trips to the hospital is enough for anyone. I’m beginning to feel institutionalised.
The blood test was in the middle, on the Wednesday and I’d scheduled it for 9, so would probably be seen at 12…
I got a few looks this time because I’d lost a stone since the last appointment, but I mentioned this had been deliberate, so panic over. I thought this might happen, so it was easily fielded. Turns out unexplained weight loss is bad. Who knew?
At 9:01 I got called in. What? How bad was this? Either the NHS was running on time or I was a goner.
It may surprise you to hear the NHS was operating correctly and on time. I don’t know what had changed since the last time I was there. Don’t get me wrong, the doctors and nurses are always great, kind, willing to alay fears, straight when it’s needed, but on time? This was new.
I had my various parts prodded by the lady doctor (prof doesn’t see me anymore and probably won’t until it gets interesting again). She seems happy, no particular symptoms, over than the enlarged spleen.
I then went and got my bloods done and was all finished by 9:40. Jo would actually be in work on time, even though she had booked the morning off. A masterclass of punctuality!
Since then its been three weeks and no results. I did get a letter confirming my next appointment, which was the first time this had happened. I also got my initial examination results.
Apparently I was in good shape, no pallor, jaundice and no indication of B symptoms. She did note that my spleen could be felt three finger widths below the lung. Previously it had been one. I out this down to three things. 1. Different doctor. 2. I had lost a fair bit of weight, so maybe it was just more easy to feel. 3. My spleen had grown.
It’s probably a combination of all three. I still have the backup plan to have the bugger out, so I’m not too worried.
Having had no blood test results I called up and found they had been sent to my surgery. Accordingly I am going to pick them up today. I can’t imagine it’s terrible news, as they would have contacted me, but my white cells could have increased loads, before they would worry.
I will find out later today, and will try my hardest to post another of these this weekend, opposed to in three weeks time, when you’ve all assumed I’m dead.
There is a chance Jo could go into labour, in which case all bets are off. With two weeks and five days to go it’s getting a bit close.
We even went shopping for the baby stuff yesterday. I hate shopping. Still we bought some stuff, which I hear is the goal of going out.
I’ll also keep you posted on here when it arrives, and whether it’s a girl or boy.
All the best for now and the next couple of days. It’s been emotional. I managed to write this on the train journey in, so if its not long enough for you then, for once, you can thank abellio greater Anglia for running on time.
spleniclymphoma 
Having an appointment can be an anxious event. I find that I’m more critical of odd feelings in my body, usually imagining that my spleen has enlarged. Yet every checkup has been good since chemo almost 6 years ago. There were a few times where a blood count of some kind was high but it was easily explained by something else (like a cold) and didn’t recur.
I’m a little surprised that you expect a splenectomy as the first line of defense. It used to be until a few years ago but since then it seems that chemo has replaced it. After all it isn’t your spleen that’s a problem. Your enlarged spleen is a symptom. It’s trapping malignant B-cells and since their malignancy is that they don’t die, the spleen enlarges as it traps more. In my case it was also trapping platelets resulting in low platelet count. A little chemo and that big spleen will reduce back to normal. Mine was the size of a ream of copy paper ( my entire left abdomen) and was knocked back to normal after one cycle of chemo.
In case you have the stereotypical chemo in your head, don’t worry. The chemo I’ve known SMZL patients to receive is mild. There was no nausea, no baldness, no ashen complexion, and very little loss of energy. I pulled a stump by hand the day after my first chemo. It was tiring but nothing that most people can’t shake off with an extra tea or coffee. Everyone works through it, many take the morning off for chemo and go back to work in the afternoon.
I’ve also seen what looks like two different types of SMZL. In my case my lymphocytes were normal but my platelets were low. I know others who have lymphocyte counts 5,000 times higher than normal.
You seem to be in the middle, a large spleen and high counts. Is that the case with you?