DIAGNOSIS !!!

After 4 months of waiting, I finally have a diagnosis! There was some mystery and a little disagreement between the VA pathologist and the Mayo Clinic, but the final diagnosis is that I have Nodular Lymphocyte-Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma NLPHL. This is a vrey rare form of Hodgkins, but apparently very treatable. My oncologist gave me a choice of 1) having Rituximab only and then "living in peaceful co-existence with my cancer" or 2) having the R-CHOP chemo and standing a good chance of "Complete response" (still tryin to figure that one out). The R-CHOP will be 6-8 infusions every three weeks. Since I will probably be feeling well enough to to meaningful work at least half of the time, I have chosen the R-CHOP regimen. I shouldn't need radiation treatment afterwords. I am STAGE IIA (only tumors in my abdomin and no organ involvement (I experience no symptoms). What is still a mystery is that the internet research says that NLPHL occurs frequently in younger people and most often in the head-shoulders area and that Hodgkins is frequently treated with ABVD regimen. So, we'll start preping for August 3rd to start. We will drive down to Albuquerque (250 miles) have outpatient infusion and drive back home to Pagosa Springs, CO to endure!