The Beginning

Last August 10th, several family members got together for a few days visit to our twin grandsons. We all stayed in the same hotel and we all left sick with upper respiratory symptoms. We didn't speak of it at the time but we all thought there was something funky about the ventilation in the rooms. 

Monday, my husband and I woke with scratchy throats. Tuesday, I developed a scorching sore throat. Wednesday, at work, it became more and more difficult to breathe and I stopped on the way home for Mucinex.  Everyone else's sickness got better, but not mine.

I kept getting sicker and sicker. I started running fevers that lasted for weeks. I was struggling to breathe. I started having drenching night sweats. I felt so bad, but never, ever, not one single time did it ever occur to me that I had cancer.

I went to the family doctor 3 times, took antibiotics twice and steroids once. Nothing. Finally Dr. N gave me a breathing test which I flunked. She then gave me a breathing treatment and re-tested me. Still flunked it. She ordered an x-ray, which was abnormal, and followed by a CT scan--my 1st of many to come.

My husband and I met in Dr. N's office and she informed us that I most likely had Lymphoma. I had no idea what that meant, so she had to spell it out: c-a-n-c-e-r.

Twin A and Twin B