I would be lying if I did not feel any confusion or emotional disturbance from receiving a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. As I recall, I was with my unit in the Army, sitting at a table awaiting a leader’s meeting. The doctor called, and I answered, of course receiving bad news. I began to have an emotional breakdown. My platoon sergeant grabs me up, and we head for the door, and he says, “Hey, hey, hey. What’s all the fuss about?” I say, “I just received the news . . . I have cancer.” He replies, “So? I beat cancer, and you will do the same. Do you know what you’re going to do? You’re going to beat this thing. Just survive, warrior.”
I do not think anyone is ever truly prepared to be told, “You have cancer,” by a doctor. In that phrase alone, there is a significant amount of emotional turmoil. From personal experience, much anticipation awaits the outcome in the following months, either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. For my type of cancer, the front-line treatment option was chemotherapy. While having chemotherapy, every day becomes a struggle with one’s mind. My doctor emphasized having an excellent emotional support system and a good diet to help relieve nerves and tolerate chemotherapy. However, coping with my cancer diagnosis included more than a sound mind and body, but overall trusting and surviving the chemotherapy regimen my hematologist gave.
A problem many cancer patients face with chemotherapy is simply tolerating chemotherapy, and many, such as myself, have vomited and felt sick after an infusion. Considering the origins of chemotherapy to treat cancer, one can understand why there are so many side effects. Chemotherapy to treat cancer originated in 1943 from nitrogen mustard (a variant of mustard gas) when two pharmacologists from Yale discovered the effects of injecting the compound intravenously. Since 1943, there have been many improvements and discoveries in other chemotherapies, but all have the same goals: to kill cancer cells or stop them from reproducing. Considering that infusing chemotherapy through an intravenous line can make one sick, this is because some of the compounds in gaseous form would likely be lethal to humans and not just cancer cells.
I remember having cloudy thoughts while on chemotherapy and being somewhat down. Every day while on chemotherapy seemed to blur into the next day and the next day in this temporary loop. Feeling disheartened, I questioned the regimen but ultimately told myself (for my wife and child) to survive the next day. Hematologists and cancer doctors will tell one to rely on robust emotional support systems because of cancer and chemotherapy’s toll on the mind. It is normal to feel like giving up, but one must trust the chemotherapy process. If one trusts the process and sees themselves through the end of the chemotherapy, then one shall call themselves a warrior.
A byproduct of trusting the chemotherapy was researching my odds of survival on the chemotherapy regimen and chances of relapse or refraction. To do this, I asked my doctor about survival rates. I was given the regimen A-AVD, which my doctor informed me was the latest and greatest for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, whereas many patients still receive the older A-BVD regimen. Essentially, A-AVD is superior to A-BVD because of Hodgkin’s lymphoma Reed-Sternberg cell fighting drug in the regimen, which is 93.9% effective in 6-year survival rates compared to 89.4% with A-BVD. Knowing that my survival odds were incredibly high relieved me from the anxiety of not pulling through.
A part of surviving the chemotherapy process is trusting all the supporting medications one’s doctor prescribes. These are part of the chemotherapy and drug regimens one will take and will ease the side effects. A-AVD was not a regimen to scoff at when it came to feeling sick forty-eight to seventy-two hours after the infusion. For feeling ill, my doctor prescribed Compazine, which is effective if one feels nauseous. Compazine is so effective in treating chemotherapy nausea that it “can be taken on a scheduled basis to prevent nausea and vomiting before chemotherapy, or can be given on an as needed basis to treat nausea or vomiting when they occur.” Compazine will likely be in one’s chemotherapy regimen, and other meds for support.
The most crucial aspect of trusting and surviving the chemotherapy process is listening to one’s body. From personal experience, there will be times when one will feel fatigued, and it is essential to get a good night’s sleep to allow for the body’s natural healing process. According to an article from patients that underwent treatment at MD Anderson, “Fatigue is the most common side effect experienced by cancer patients, especially those undergoing chemotherapy. So, get plenty of rest and avoid pushing yourself too hard, even if you feel good.” It is also the nature of chemotherapy that the body will feel tired. As stated previously, chemotherapy may be lethal in gaseous form. Chemotherapy may be presumed toxic to the body, and the body responds as intended by making one fatigued.
Because I trusted the chemotherapy, which cured my cancer, I can now call myself a survivor. The process took over six months and twenty-four infusions, but I pulled it together, bunkered down, and beat it. The critical takeaway is to trust the process and, of course, trust the doctor too. Do the research, take the medications, and get plenty of sleep. The body will naturally respond to the chemotherapy and will respond vigilantly. However, one must find strength in knowing that all will be well at the end of treatment. Just breathe, step back, and say, “I will survive.”
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Cody Blakeney lives in Widefield, Colorado. He worked many years in construction with his father at a young age. In 2014, he enlisted in the military for the experience of serving his country. Cody enjoys working on vehicles, building furniture, playing guitar, and building computers. He is also a dedicated family man. In February 2021, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and after a long six-month battle, he is in remission. His new goal is to serve others by spreading cancer awareness and ensuring a hopeful future.
