… I’m in remission!

After the worst year of my life, I’m happy to finally be able to share some good news. My latest scan results have come back completely clear. No evidence of disease. I’m officially in remission from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma!

It's been a week since I found out, and it's taking a while for me to get my head around it. I've been overwhelmed with messages from friends and family over the past week. Please know that your love and support means a lot, and I really appreciate everything you've done for me while I'm been going through this shit storm.

I know a lot of you have been following my cancer journey through this blog and my social media, so I wanted to put together some 'FAQs' to answer some of the questions you might have...

What happens next?

I don’t need any further treatment (woohoo!) However, I'll have to go back to see my consultant every three months for the next two years. After that, my appointments will become less frequent, but I’ll still have to check-in every six months until I’m at least 5 years in remission. That’s as long as I don’t relapse.

Is there a chance you could relapse?

This is a difficult one to answer because I want to be honest but I also don't want to scare people! There will always be a chance I could relapse, and the fear of relapse is something that affects a lot of people who have had cancer.

Most people who relapse with Hodgkin's Lymphoma do so within 5 years of finishing primary treatment, which is why I have to go back to see my consultant regularly until I'm past the 5-year point. Please be assured they're keeping a close eye on me!

What's most important to know is Hodgkin's Lymphoma is one of the most treatable types of cancer, so even if I do relapse there will be other treatment options available.

How are you feeling?

I have good days and bad days. The type of chemotherapy I had (BEACOPP) was pretty brutal, and the side-effects can last for months, if not years. Fatigue and memory issues are the main things I’m struggling with at the moment. I also have peripheral neuropathy in my fingers and legs where the nerves have been damaged by the chemo. My legs often feel numb and painful, and my fingers have become very sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.

Unsurprisingly, my mental health has also been impacted. I’ve lost a lot over the past year, and I’m not just talking about my hair (although that was not fun!) I lost control of my life, and my confidence disappeared. Confidence and control were huge parts of my personality pre-cancer, so it was a lot to deal with.

Right now my priority is to remember all the things I used to enjoy and start working them back into my everyday life.

Has your hair started to grow back?

It has indeed! I was devasted when I lost my hair through chemo, so I was over-the-moon when it started to grow back around 3-4 weeks after I finished treatment. It's a little patchy at the moment, but I'm hoping by the start of next year it'll be long enough for me to get it cut into a cute pixie style.

Will you be going back to work?

Yes, I love my job and found it really hard to stop working when I was diagnosed! I'm very fortunate to work for a company that has supported me 100% while I've been going through treatment. My consultant has advised me to wait until 3 months post-chemo (mid-November) and I'll need a phased return so I won't be going back full-time straight away.

Is there anything you need? Is there anything I can do to help?

What I really need right now is to feel like people are listening to me, so if you're reading this blog post then you're already helping!

If you have any questions (that I haven't answered in this post) please don't be afraid to ask me anything. You don't have to avoid mentioning the c-word when you're around me. I'm comfortable talking about everything I've been through, and I would rather people ask questions than make assumptions. E.g. If you're planning a day/night out, don't assume I'll be too tired to come (if I don't feel up to it I promise I'll let you know!)

At the same time, if you don't feel comfortable talking to me about cancer, please don't feel like you have to. Seriously! If you're sat there wondering if you should drop me a message but aren't sure what to say, put your phone away. I don't want anyone to feel stressed out or anxious that they're going to say the wrong thing.

How are you going to celebrate?

The day after I found out I was in remission, I went up to Manchester for the Shine Great Escape. If you've never heard of Shine before, they're an amazing charity that supports young adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s who have been diagnosed with cancer. I'll talk about it more in a separate blog post, but I met so many incredible people, and I'm really happy I did it.

At the end of October, I'll be heading up to Yorkshire for the weekend. Earlier this year I won a competition for an overnight stay at a hotel in Scarborough, and I'll be stopping for a night in York too. If you have any recommendations on things to do or veggie-friendly places to eat, please send them my way!

In November, I'm going to Disneyland Paris for a few days with my mum and two sisters. We booked it while I was going through treatment so I would have something to look forward to, and I'm so excited it's now less than a month away!

December is going to be a busy month. My Dad is flying over to visit for the second time this year, and I'll also be turning 29 (eek!) I'm not sure yet how to celebrate my birthday. I'd love to go away for the weekend if I can find a cheap deal. 

Anything else?

I want to finish by mentioning a story I heard the other day. It's called “Cancer is like finding a mountain lion in your fridge” and it's the most accurate representation I've heard of what it feels like to go through cancer treatment. I actually laughed out loud when I heard it! I’m not sure where it originated but you can find it on Tumblr here.

As always, thank you so much for reading. Here's to the next chapter ❤️

Photo credits:

• Lion photo by Ivan Diaz on Unsplash
• Sleeping cat photo by Alex Pavlou on Unsplash
• Sunflowers photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash