Hi my name is Debi, I’m doing skydiving with my Brother Spencer and our friend Mark to raise monies for Lymphoma Association. I’m also deaf,. Last year I was diagnosed with Enteropathy-Associated T-cell Lymphoma (EATL), Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma of my Intestines. We keep being told smoking and lifestyle choices cause cancer, mine… caused by eating bread, anything containing gluten. I started feeling ill in November of 2009, sickness, loss of appetite, hot and cold sweats etc. After a few trips to the doctors I was told it was gallstones. The sickness etc continued while I was put on a waiting list for the gallstones to be removed. Christmas came and went as did my Christmas dinner that tasted lovely with the bread sauce, mmm. Didn’t taste so nice on the way back up a few hours later. Christmas and the following weeks ruined. By April things started to become serious. I spent more time off work than at it. By mid-April I couldn’t move and was almost bed bound. It looked like my gallbladder was infected and dosed with antibiotics. Didn’t work and on the 29 of April my Husband took me to Winchester Hospital. We both thought a week in hospital, a quick op and I would be home. My husband, Steve was also looking forward to having a rest from my nagging. Well that’s what he said.

Over the next 7 of weeks of being tested and prodded, it was discovered firstly that I was a Coeliac, there goes the Ready Break and cheese rolls. There were a few false starts after that, it appears the type of Lymphoma I have is hard to diagnose and quiet rare. Between me becoming ill in November and April\May I had lost 4+ stone. Wouldn’t mind but I only started at 9 stone. I lost so much weight that I spent 2 weeks in Intensive Care with a TPN (Total Parental Nutrition). It’s a line put into the veins of  my neck and down near my heart. I still could not eat and it was the only nutrition I was receiving. 

Finally after 6 weeks in hospital I was given the news. To say that I was upset and shocked does not come close . To say that my husband was angry at the doctors as I was informed while I was on my own…mmmmm. Not a happy hubby.

Well I thought that was that. Cancer. I was going to die. I would never see my kids grow up. Steve would have to deal with all our daughters, daughters problems when she’s older. I dread to think how he would cope with that. Steve was great. He told me to get a grip. Don’t give up and fight and you will get through this. I hate it when he’s right but thankfully this time he was right.

At the end of my 7 week in Winchester I was transferred to Southampton General. I only spent a week in Southampton before being sent home for the weekend. What a relief, my daughter burst in to tears when she saw me step out of the car. I could help myself either, the tears flowed. But then again I cried when Jenson Button won the F1 Championship.

The Consultants, Doctors and Nurses were absolutely fantastic. It was explained what was about to happen. Firstly they required some more tests, including a bone marrow biopsy. This was by far the worst. Had a local and gas but it still hurt as they drilled into my pelvis bone and took samples. Steve thought it would be a good time to look at holiday brochures. No joke. He was showing me all the nice hot places around the world to distract me and keep my mind off what the doctors were doing.  The biopsy came back clear, no signs of cancer in my marrow.

Now came the scary bit, Chemo. I’ve heard about how terrible it can be and in some cases it can be truly awful. But my experience was somewhat different. Firstly there was little sickness, the tablets kept it at bay on the whole. Yes my hair did fall out, but its growing back again, better than before. It’s no longer frizzy, result. The worst was would be the low white cell count about a week after each chemo. Yep back to hospital for 4-7 days being pumped full of antibiotics. 

The chemo would be administered 5 stages, CHOP, IVE1, IVE2, IVE3 and BEAM.

The first chemo I had was called CHOP!  This was a worrying time for my husband and I. All the previous patients who had been through this treatment for EATL also ended up in ICU. There intestines  resectioned, opened up and bits from the intestines removed as they have perforated. As the cancer dies it leaves holes in the intestines. I guess I was very lucky. There were some scary moments were I had some intense abdominal pain. At which point there would be a quick trip to Soton for a check up.

Then every 3 weeks I had to have further chemo treatments called IVE 1,2 and 3 and Methotrexate, I had to stay in hospital for 3 to 4 days having these chemos. A week later back to hospital as my white cells would plummet.

I had to have Hickman's line inserted in my chest for chemo and a stem cell transplant. Another Local, I did start to wonder if Soton had run out of Generals. I was horrified at the thought of me being awake while they insert the line but I made it through without any fuss.

What started in July with CHOP soon became November, a whole year from when I started to become ill. This also meant the last treatment, BEAM. This is the mother of all Chemo’s. The high dose chemo’s would be administered over 6 days, it will destroy everything, red, white and most importantly any remaining cancer cells. I had to stay in an Isolation Room for 3 weeks and my kids were not allowed to see me, it broke my heart not being able to see them. The side effects did not kick in until the 8 day, the same day the cell’s harvested earlier were returned. I had 3 days where my nose bleed non stop , 3 days of diarrhoea and sickness.  Thankfully I managed not to have mouth ulcers. This I put down to salt water mouth washes after every meal.

It’s now July and my hair is growing back, 7 months of the all clear, I’m back to work and have been for the past 4 months.

There have been some truly horrible days, weeks and weeks spent in hospital away from my family. No matter how bad it seemed I always kept fighting and thinking that I WILL win.

Anyway that’s my story but before I post this I would like to thank the consultants, doctors and nurses of Southampton General. Without their dedication and skill in treating cancer I would without doubt not be here today. They are truly amazing. Thank you.