Blood Cancer Stories: I joined the 'cancer club' just before Christmas

Hi Everyone!

Did you see this story on Bloodwise website? Anyone diagnosed around Christmas time and/or can relate to Hannah?

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Hi Hannah, I was diagnosed on 16 December 2003 with my GP appointment in the new year, so I went through the festivities in an isolated bubble, with people celebrating around me. I was given the diagnosis by my gynaecologist after I did not feel better after a gynae op. He just said ’ I have never had to tell anyone this before but you have Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, I cannot do any more for you, go back to your GP’. I took that to mean that my days were numbered. The next thing I remember is being outside his office with a nurse saying ‘Are you OK?’. Needless to say I said ‘Yes’ and went out of the hospital in complete shock and fear feeling in my isolated bubble and trying to remember the foreign sounding Gynaecologist’s words. I can replay that time as if it were yesterday. I came home and wrote my will and music for my funeral. There was very little information on the internet apart from a 5-10 yr prognosis. The good news was I could let people know in Christmas cards. My card crossed, mid air, with one from a friend in Los Angeles who had also been diagnosed with CLL that December, what a coincidence, but we now share a special bond. Take care, Hannah, you have been through a lot emotionally and physically and keep posting how you are and how you are feeling.

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Morning all. I had my PET scan on December 16th 2016 and was diagnosed in the January. At the time, my five year old niece was also in hospital over Christmas as well so it was an double whammy! I think she gave me something to focus on. I knew what my results were going to be so it was very much at the forefront of my mind. However, supporting my brother and sister in law and managing Christmas in my house kept me occupied. This was probably a good thing at the time but soon caught up with me after Christmas. The need to keep things going for the children has its positives and you can’t help but share in their Christmas magic. But it’s in those quiet moments, when you’re trying to sleep or you watch the children playing, when those ‘what ifs’ kick in. What if it’s my last Christmas? How will the family manage through my treatment? The need to get things organised. But I got through because you do don’t you. You get up and you work through it, even though some days it’s tougher than you ever imagined! And hopefully, the year after, Christmas is that little easier X

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Thanks for sharing your stories Eric and Nichola75.

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