Inspirational Stories

My journey began in early 2021 when I discovered some swelling in my left inguinal area. At the time, I did not think much of it but still was told by my primary to see a surgeon, which I did. I saw a surgeon who told me it was a swollen lymph node and that it would go away within a few months. After about six months, I still had the swelling, and it had started to bother me. I saw a second surgeon in mid-2022 who suggested I have it removed, so I did. I went for surgery in late August 2023, and on September 12, 2023, I was told that I had stage 2 non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma (FL). This was only four months after getting married and being at the happiest stage in my life! This took me by surprise as my surgeon prior to surgery told me the chances of this being malignant were 0.00001 percent (his words). This to me explained why I was always sick with what I thought was a constant cold. I began the process of meeting with my oncologist, and after multiple exams, I went into remission in January 2023. Unfortunately, that was not it for me. In March 2023, I noticed another lump in the same left inguinal area. After a PET scan and a biopsy, I was told that I had a recurrence. This time I not only had one cancerous lymph node but three! I met with the oncologist and radiation oncologist who said I had to go through radiation therapy, so I did. I had 17 rounds of radiation which was one of the toughest times for me. Exhaustion was the biggest issue for me but more than that was my mental health. I struggled with acceptance over the past year but have had a great support system and an amazing wife who has helped me through this. 

Throughout my entire journey, I have felt physically okay. I lived with this swollen "lump" without any symptoms for over a year, and not once did I think I had cancer. I am currently waiting for my post-treatment PET scan to see the outcome of the treatment. 

I want to serve as an example that you should listen to your body and get second opinions especially when something does not feel right! We cannot ignore the signs our bodies send us.

I also want to bring awareness to FL especially because I have been told by oncologists and other survivors that I am extremely young for FL as it tends to occur more in people of older age.