It was only at the end of the first week of university when I realised that I had a small lump on the left side of my neck. I did not pay attention to it. I reassured myself it was nothing.
Few days later, I caught a cold and the lump started to become visible. I went to the doctor and we run few blood tests. Everything seemed to be normal. I was relieved Swollen glands was her guess. She referred me to the hospital though just to be completely sure. Few weeks and examinations later, everything changed.
A biopsy had to be made as the x-ray scan found more internal lumps on the neck area. It was a very stressful time and mostly because I chose to go through this alone. The results, however, were still inconclusive.
The doctors believed that an excision (a surgery to take out the lump) is necessary, so to analyse the lump in depth.
Thankfully, I couldn’t keep this just to myself as the scar of the surgery was there for everyone to see.
On December 3rd, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; A type of cancer where white blood cells are uncontrollably produced and divided through the body creating tumours.
The treatment, in my case, will be radiotherapy, where large amounts of radiation will destroy the cancer cells.
My treatment starts soon and I can’t feel anything but optimistic about the future with all the support I am receiving from my family, my partner and my friends.
Keep smiling!