Update 1
It’s been just over two weeks since I was first diagnosed with PTCL-NOS lymphoma and it’s still a bit of a shock how quickly everything has happened. From what seemed like a trivial pulled tendon in my leg, my condition worsened quickly and now I am unable to walk with the cancer having destroyed my right hip. Despite how aggressive it is, we hope that they’ve caught it early and treatment here in Germany has begun swiftly.
About three weeks ago, I was admitted to hospital with acute kidney failure as a result of hypercalcimia from the destruction of hip bone. Luckily, the cancer has not spread to the bone marrow or spine. I’ve started the first round of chemotherapy, luckily with minimal acute side effects, however I’m currently in the most dangerous phase where my white and red blood cell counts are extremely low and I’m at high risk of infection. We’re having to be very fastidious to clean everything, cook everything fully, and make sure as much as possible is sterile to prevent infection. It has been quite hard – often feeling run down and sore, but luckily there are no signs of infection yet. I’ve been receiving blood transfusions and regular care (along with a bucket-load of pills) to keep me in fighting order. Some days are harder than other, but I’m staying positive.
However, following the devastating news, I have been overwhelmed by the support, care, and amazing messages from all the people in my life. It has been so heartwarming to see how much people care. I feel very looked after. My parents came out to Germany to look after me during the initial diagnosis and I’ve had amazing friends like Pia and Steph who’ve stayed by my side are cared for me when I was at my worst. Looking forward to getting back to New Zealand (hopefully at the end of September if everything goes well) to continue my treatment and see all my friends and family. The money raise here so far has been more than I had ever imagined. So much thanks to Sandhya and Alex for setting it up. This is a huge stress off for me and my family and will be used for flights back to New Zealand, medical costs, and rehabilitation (or reconstruction) of my hip once I have beaten the cancer so I can get back to work. Thanks to everyone who has supported me.
