The Fear of Ilness - NON-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

     Have you ever fear of getting a very serious disease? Well, I am. I am always afraid of being sick, of being futile, of being a burden to my love ones. It scared me to death whenever I feel something peculiar, something strange in me.

     Have you read my entries before, about me being sick? That I was once diagnosed of hypothyroidism and then later on it changed to TB Adenitis? I was so afraid of that time. I fear that having thyroidism I might undergo operation. That my throat might swell. Thank God it didn’t. Then when the test result said I was positive of TB? What the Heck, I didn’t sleep for 2 days until I learned that it was adenitis and the doctor assured me that it was not contagious, that it was different than the common TV.

     I became curious of different disease since then. That whenever I heard of an illness so alien to me I always look it up in Google and try to learn all I can get about the certain disease.

     I was reading a book one day and one of the characters there is said to have this certain disease I am not aware of, or rather, I don’t have much knowledge about. It is called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I don’t have any indication of what that is. All it said there is that it is some kind of cancer. And I gather from the word lymphoma that it may concern some lymph nodes. Just like the one I have before…TB Adenitis…that I am glad I am cured…^_^

     So I looked up at Mr Google and here are some facts I gathered about this non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Any of a large group of cancers of lymphocytes (white blood cells). Non-Hodgkin lymphomas can occur at any age and are often marked by lymph nodes that are larger than normal, fever, and weight loss.

There are many different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These types can be divided into aggressive (fast-growing) and indolent (slow-growing) types, and they can be formed from either B-cells or T-cells. B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas include Burkitt lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, immunoblastic large cell lymphoma, precursor B-lymphoblastic lymphoma, and mantle cell lymphoma. T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas include mycosis fungoides, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma. Lymphomas that occur after bone marrow or stem cell transplantation are usually B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Prognosis and treatment depend on the stage and type of disease. Also called NHL.

There are many different types of lymphoma.

Lymphomas are divided into two general types: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lymph system.

Age, gender, and a weakened immune system can affect the risk of developing adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Treatment also differ in different types of lymphomas and the age of the victim.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in pregnant women is the same as the disease in non-pregnant women of childbearing age. However, treatment is different for pregnant women.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can occur in both adults and children. Treatment for children, however, is different than treatment for adults.

    In my next posts will be more additional information about these disease. Parts or lymps that are mostly affected, diagnosis or signs, and treatments. So hold on and join me in learning this disease..^_^

TB ADENITIS

I became sickly before especially in the months of 2007
and the early months of 2008. I've never been sick
before, but during the 2007-2008 I was so sickly
and been almost every week to the doctor for check-ups
and laboratories.

The check-up starts when I felt very itchy on my throat,
and it aches too. It was hard to swallow and I have a flu.
When I go to the doctor, I undergo different laboratories and
the findings is that I have a HYPOTHYROIDISM. For months I drink
medicines for hypothyroidism and undergo tests for that illness.
I suffered the pain and stress for thinking of the possible surgery.
I hate surgery and afraid of it, too. Then later, there were lumps
on the side of my neck up to my shoulder.

Painful lumps that I found it hard to laugh, breath and move
my right arms. It was increasing in numbers and and I'm really
afraid. I often leave work and my fever won't leave me.
I went to a different doctor this time. Undergo different laboratories
and tests too. The doctor said I have TB ADENITIS.

Hearing the word TB sent chill on my mind and heart. It really
feared me. I don't want to separate my things to my family. I love
sharing everything I have even things I used with my family.
And one thing, I'm so afraid to die skinny and I don't want to
cough and cough. I don't want to transfer that disease to my family
too.

The doctor said this is a different kind of TB. It was not a contagious
disease. Good thing I have a good immune system and powerful defense system.

I would like to give a few information about this disease since it
gave me realy fear that I have now overcome.

ADENITIS results in swelling of the lymph nodes, and is classed by type. Though one normally recognizes the lymph nodes at the throat, and perhaps at the groin, there are lymph nodes throughout the rest of the body. Location-specific inflammation of lymph nodes is referred to as a type of adenitis, with the main symptoms in all areas being pain, and possibly drainage from the swelling.

adenitis, also called scrofula, also affects the skin and particularly the lymph nodes around the neck. It can be easily diagnosed by testing for the presence of tuberculosis, which helps rule out cervical adenitis. Since tuberculosis is now relatively rare, this form of adenitis is as well. Symptoms usually include one or more masses at the neck, fever, chills, and weight loss. Untreated, scrofula progresses to open sores.

Treatment of scrofula involves antibiotics, and may also necessitate removal of one or more affected lymph nodes since the swelling can damage nerves in the face. Recovery rates from this complication of tuberculosis are high. In most cases treated tuberculosis adenitis does not recur.

Maybe i shall talk more about this disease some other time. But it's
really reassuring knowing that once treated it won't occur again.
I'm now healed and not going to suffer again.