Day 20
Today we had another appointment with the oncologist. I was hoping her biopsy results would be in, but of course, nothing was received. The oncologist did suggest we start the chemo process next week. In a way, Jackie and I are both very relieved. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s just 4 months and then hopefully never again.

Day 21-22
Today was a happy day. I was surprised to receive our insurance cards before the HMO even became effective. I chose this specific HMO group due to the fact her oncologist was part of the network. He was able to call a PCP and our appointment was scheduled on the very day insurance becomes effective. If everything goes smoothly, she should see her PCP Tuesday, obtain referral to in tube IV surgeon Wednesday, IV placement Thursday, and chemotherapy Friday. I know life isn’t perfect, but if it falls anywhere close to my schedule, I will be very happy.
More good news! The results of her biopsy came back today. She obtained a copy of the biopsy slide. It was pretty obvious that there were reed-sternberg cells in her slide. However, the pathologist didn’t not see any rare subtypes only classic Hodgkin’s. All this is such a relief to our ears. We can no enjoy a nice Thanksgiving with family and await the week to come.

Day 23
Jackie went to her last day of work today for awhile. The area she works keeps the air very cold. Whenever she says that there is a runny nose or slight sore throat, I go into alert mode. I am very aware of her health and I need to know how she is doing. I try to keep the house very clean and stocked my house with lots of antibacterial sanitation.
Jackie seems to be doing very well. She spent the day thinking of how she wants her hair short. She drew a sketch of what he hair would look like. I love how she prepares herself for these situations. Jackie has a great attitude and it makes things much easier.
Tomorrow is church, and it’s great that her faith is growing stronger. I trust God this is only a small bump in our lives and will only bring us closer together.

Day 24
Today was an uneventful day. Church of course is a great time to realize that there is a spiritual father that watches over all. When times seem tough and all hopes are lost, God will always be there to turn to. My wife and I were able to spend a great weekend and today with family. We then were able to catch a movie and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. It is times like these I will always look back on as well as look forward to. This week will be a very busy week. As mentioned before, this week we are hoping to place the IV in and start chemo treatment.

Day 25
Well this week has started. I found this great website that is so informative and supportive. http://forums.lymphoma.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6 This forum has a bunch of people with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. They share all their questions and experiences with one another. I guess it feels good to know that we are not alone. It is also very sad to see how many people are currently undergoing treatment and also how many have had it. I posted a question about certain issues pondering my mind; there were 8 responses in less than one day. I was so moved and appreciative of their support.
Jackie went to work today. To her work is a piece of cake. She has so much energy, it is great. I hope during her treatment she can continue to keep her energy up. I read that chemotherapy fatigues you a lot. We have started looking up neutropenic diets. Unfortunately basically everything has to cooked and separated from others. All food must be washed thoroughly and all countertops must be sanitized. Basically everything we are doing now must be done 10x as thoroughly. It is a great practice but may be very tedious.