It looks like Patti wants me to write for her because in her words "she's no good at this." I don't know how good I will be at this, I start out strong with many things and then slowly fade away. This I think, though, is more important than other ventures I have started seeing how it deals with my wife's health and will be one of the main ways to keep as many people informed as possible.
This actually isn't the beginning, this is like the afterthought to the beginning. The beginning would be last spring when Patti first realized there was a bump on her neck and then her ignoring it for a few months, thinking it was from stress, a knot maybe, nothing more, before she showed me it and I freaked out. The beginning could also be the ultrasound (Which I almost made a FB post saying that we were having an ultrasound and make everyone think Patti was pregnant) where we then found out it was probably not a simple cyst that it may be more and a biopsy was needed, but I digress.
So for the first post, first of many I hope and I know Patti hopes as well; I will copy the what I have put in facebook with a few minor differences. Through all of this, I thank you for reading, for taking the time out of your life to bring up this blog. Just by doing so you've shown you care and love Patricia Elsie Payne. My grammar and usage will not be perfect; in fact I am a much better editor than I am actual typist. I will go through this later and go: "Did I really make all those mistakes?" But alas it is what it is and I know you will read it for what it is, and now I prattle on and that's why Patti wants me to do this more than her. (Edit: I already have gone through this post already and have cried many tears at the sheer butchery of the English language. To all the english lit, journalism, etc. majors out there, I am so very sorry!((Edit to the Edit: Did you see the redundancy in that Edit? Holy hannah this is getting out of hand)))
So here is what I posted on facebook:
Patti has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Taken from www.cancercenter.com:
"Hodgkin lymphoma (also known as Hodgkin's disease) is cancer that develops from cells in the lymphatic system (part of the body's immune system) called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infections."
We don't know much, but what we do know is that Patti has a bulge in her neck caused by one or multiple swollen lymphnodes. After a biopsy we had last week it was found that she did indeed test positive for Hodgkins.
Tuesday we will be having a meeting with an Oncologist to discuss and more than likely schedule our next steps. From reading a few medical websites along with some cancer blogs the treatments will be chemo and/or radiation over the course of 4-6 months. The doctor has already ruled out surgery as a course of action. Again over the course of reading and asking others I have found out it looks like if found early (within 5 years) it has over a 90% curability (is that a word? it should be if it isn't!) rate and only drops down to the +80% range after those 5 years. We are hopeful and you should be too!
What I am asking for, for now, is some restraint in questions, because we do not have many answers yet. You can ask but most questions will be answered with "I don't know." As we learn answers we will call, text, facebook and blog. We love our family and friends and know you want to know how Patti is doing and I will poke and prod her until she gives me the info and I can blog it. My hope is, through me, this will be in Patti's words. I don't want to type what I am feeling, I want her to let loose her stress, vent and inform. I personally have read many blogs on the subject and this just seems like a great outlet and great information source for others. No cancer sufferer and/or survivor goes through this alone.
I am done preaching now, and will try to keep it at a minimum for your sake. My hands move faster than the brain and before it catches up a full page could be written in what a simple sentence could convey.
Again thank you for your love, your prayers, and your well wishes.
Love,
Chris and Patti (plus Aiden too)
Here's a bonus to all those VIP members of the blog, a picture of Patti with Gretchen and Laura
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