Hello everyone -
It’s hard to come up with a good way to say this in an e-mail, especially a mass e-mail, but I thought that perhaps this was the best way to let everyone know. Some of you may know that I’ve been particularly ill as of late, and that the doctors have had a difficult time finding exactly what the disease is. For those of you who haven’t heard any of this yet, consider yourselves lucky that you didn’t have to go through the months of playing the “Disease of the Week” game, where each week I would be whole-heartedly convinced that I had some exotic ailment like Malaria of the p.vivax strain, or the very unlikely Thalysemia, or the almost unknown Whipple’s Disease.
It was just a week ago that the doctors were aggressively testing for one of these strange, mystic diseases – when suddenly the tests all came back wrong and in just a couple phone calls, everything seemed to fall apart. At least, that’s how it felt to me.
A few more tests in a different direction confirmed the findings. I have cancer.
I have a cancer called lymphoma. This is a cancer of the lymph nodes and, I’m glad to say, a very curable kind of cancer. I’m told that with the proper treatment, 97.9% of lymphoma patients survive. Nevertheless, it is cancer and I’ll have to go through all of the cancer rituals to get rid of it. Chemotherapy will begin soon, followed by whatever else it takes to get rid of this.
This is difficult. But I can handle this, I will beat this, and I will come out a better man in the end. I am looking forward to being a cancer survivor.
If I can’t have my health, I’m glad that I still have my family and friends. It is a relief to know that I will have you all with me as I go through this. I understand that it is hard to know what to say in a situation like this, but please don’t be shy. This is a fine opportunity to make jokes about me losing my hair, etc., etc.
I look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Future Cancer Survivor,
Dave Hahn
P.S. – I’m afraid I don’t have the e-mail addresses of everyone that I’d like to send this to. Please feel free to pass this on.
i have cancer too it is called rhbdomyosarcoma it is very rare and stage four. I don’t remember much when I first got it bc I was in a ton of pain couldn’t move, and when we called the hospital when we got back from traveling on our trip to North Carolina they admitted us to picu immediately. (pice stands for pediatric intensive care unit) I was in there for about a month I had had several mri’s and stuff before it, and was wishing to die. But amazingly I wasn’t shocked when I found out what it was,and I wasn’t mad at God, but now I am in remission and almost finished with my chemotherapy. in april i will be 12 and have 4 months left i hope you enjoyed my story! Oh and im a girl btw :) hehe
Way to go! I admire your courage in claiming victory over cancer. Stay positive and never forget to count your blessings no matter how hard things get. Like you said, weathering such a challenge would make a better man out of you. In fact, just by having the courage to forge on, you already make yourself one.
Cheyenne, that is an incredible story. That you for sharing with us. You’re so young to have gone through something so lousy.
David, I came across your blog today and see that it goes back a few years. I hope that’s a sign that you’re cancer-fee, your hair’s back, and chemo is a thing of the past. I find it remarkable how cancer can be so all-consuming when you’re in the thick of things but when you’re a few years out, it’s just a blip on the radar. Thank God for that. I wish you good health and good fortune. You’ve done your time in cancer-land. I hope it’s a thing of the past for you.
Cancer should not take control. It is just CANCER is is not YOU. I love how you take it with so much vigor and strength. I chanced upon this blog and I am bookmarking this mainly because with so many cancer patients I have worked with, only a few have an insight as positive as you.
Hi my name is Deanne and I am a cancer survivor. I had cancer in my uterus and doctors said I was in stage 2.I was so scared. I started researching everything that I could. I started eating the baking soda and maple syrup cause I read that it would kill the cancer. I couldn’t keep eating that because the taste was making me sick. Then my aunt found out about Limu and called me.I was so broke I could not buy it for myself because I was so sick I couldn’t work anymore due to the cancer and my back problems. So being the great person that she is she bought it for me.I started drinking it every day and 2 mos after I started drinking the Limu, I went back to the doctor and my white blood cell count was back to normal and they could not find anymore cancer. Thank God for taking care of me and giving me such a wonderful aunt that helped me.