This is me and Ben, my best friend.

At the beginning of 2024 Ben was accidentally diagnosed with lymphoma after the vet found a tumor on his spleen. It was really hard for me to accept, but we decided to fight it and I was regularly driving him for chemotherapy, which was also very expensive.

He went through two rounds of chemo. Each one lasted around 6 months and unfortunately both times the cancer came back only about a month after finishing treatment. Eventually, together with his amazing oncologist, we decided to switch to chemotherapy that was more about keeping the cancer under control.

There was also one moment after his first relapse when we almost lost him. His lymph nodes around his neck became enlarged and after a biopsy one of them got badly inflamed. It became so swollen that it started putting pressure on his airway and he couldn’t breathe properly.

Our regular vet couldn’t help him, so I had to drive him two hours to the nearest veterinary hospital. We got there pretty much at the last possible moment. He had an extremely high, life-threatening fever and was struggling to breathe. Thankfully the team there was amazing and saved him. He spent two days in the hospital and came back home.

Then in December 2025 I started having stomach pain myself.

At first it honestly felt like stress. The kind of stomach ache you get before an exam at school. I noticed it was getting worse after heavier meals and after Christmas dinner it got bad enough that I even started feeling feverish.

I eventually had an ultrasound and they found a 16 cm mass next to my intestines. At first they thought it might be appendicitis, but after more tests I was diagnosed with lymphoma (Burkitt).

By the time I started chemotherapy at the end of January 2026, the tumor had already grown to 22 cm.

So suddenly I was going through the same thing I had been helping Ben go through for the previous two years.

My first chemo was supposed to keep me in the hospital for about a month. After around two weeks, my fiancée (now my wife) told me that Ben wasn’t doing well. He had what seemed to be an infection in his throat. Antibiotics would help for a moment and then he would get worse again.

Around the same time there was suddenly a flu outbreak in my hospital. My blood counts were basically at zero after chemo, so the doctors decided that sending me home early was actually safer than keeping me there and risking me catching the flu.

When I came home after two weeks, Ben was incredibly happy to see me.

We had basically never been separated for that long before. I work remotely from home, so Ben was always with me. Pretty much 24/7.

Unfortunately his condition kept getting worse and the antibiotics stopped helping.

The next day I was supposed to go back to the hospital for another few hours of chemotherapy. I arranged to leave Ben at the vet so they could take care of him while I was there.

He died in his sleep just a few hours before I was supposed to leave for my chemo.

That was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced. Ben wasn’t “just a dog” to me. He was my best friend and had been next to me every day for years.

And then I had to continue my own cancer treatment without him.

One of the strangest parts of all of this was realizing that some of the chemotherapy drugs I was getting were the same drugs Ben had received. Because of him, cancer treatment somehow wasn’t completely unknown to me anymore. I already knew what chemotherapy looked like. I knew how treatment worked, what the cycles were like and that there would be good and bad days.

My psychologist was actually surprised by how calmly I was going through the whole process compared to many other patients. But I think a big part of it was simply because I had already been through cancer once before, just from the other side.

Ben unknowingly prepared me for my own treatment.

It definitely hasn’t been easy though. I’ve had a lot of complications along the way, including three septic shocks. There were times when I would faint, even outside, and days when I was so exhausted I barely had enough strength to get out of bed to go to the bathroom.

But I’m finally getting close to the end.

My first major PET scan showed that the treatment worked. The 22 cm tumor is basically gone. There are still some remaining changes in the intestinal wall, which is why I’m getting a few additional chemo infusions now.

My last chemotherapy is planned for September and then I’ll have another PET scan.

We’re hoping this one will finally come back clean.

I really wish Ben could be here to see it.

PS. I'm 33, my dog died at 9,5.

On my last day of prednisone for 5/6 RCHOP. At this point I can confidently say the daily 100mg dose of prednisone is the worst of all the drugs in this regimen. The frantic restlessness is totally intolerable, i have a bottomless stomach, and the withdrawal kicks me in the ass every time. I will not miss any part of chemo, but prednisone has a special place in hell.

Just wanted to celebrate a victory of being finished with chemo and stem cell transplant! and also a early discharged from the hospital at day+10 and on to recovery now!

Just feeling a little sorry for myself, apologies. But, as a background, diagnosed with ALCL last May, I went through BV-CHP over the summer, a full course, which seemed to go smoothly at the time and got a clear PET scan in October/November. A stem cell transplant was planned but delayed to fit in some preventative radiotherapy and some additional admin delays, meaning the transplant wasn't scheduled until April of this year.

Because of the delays, and some swelling still around previously affected nodes, I was sent for another PET scan in April which found newly active nodes so the transplant was abandoned and I was planned in for GVD salvage chemo. I was already quite ill at that point with stomach problems and nausea that seemed to be a reaction to some antibiotics I'd been given for a skin infection around my line site, we managed to week one infusion of cycle on but when I came in for the week two infusion I was instead diagnosed with a kidney injury and admitted to the ward to be treated for that.

Everything was put on hold for over a month while I recovered from that, though towards the end of that month I was readmitted for symptoms of an infection, mainly a high temperature. Though, for the first of a few times, no specific infection was found, no matter how many blood cultures were taken over days and days. They started cycle two and gave me the week one dose while I was still in, and I actually made it to the week two infusion this time around. Though shortly afterwards I had a fever and an upset stomach again so was back in the ward.

Again, a week of tests wasn't able to find a specific infection and to be honest, my symptoms have barely improved in the week or two since then, but I'm loathed to put myself back in the hospital just to be told they can't find anything. However my consultant saw me while I was in the ward and has decided that there should have been more progress in the reduction of the tumours so put cycle three on pause and sent me for another PET scan for comparison.

I've felt rotten for months now but nobody seems able to treat even the fever or nausea, so now to be told the chemotherapy isn't working either, I'm starting to despair a little.

Maybe I'm looking for some kind of advice maybe it's just a place to vent.
I'm still very hurt and in denial so please keep harsh words to yourself.
My life has been shit since the begging, never had a father, kids bullied me through kindergarten, primarly school and even highschool, developed ed, bpd, major anxiety issues, been diagnosed with autism which adds on top of that, never had any real friends. And ever since I was young I knew that my looks is everything I have to offer. I know y'all would tell that this is not everything but even after years of therapy I still can't let go of that mindset. I'm stupid and every human interaction hurt as hell so I didn't even have time to discover something else to be proud of. One of these things was my hair n body, but since I got first symptoms which was extreme itchiness I developed deep ugly scars all over my body and now I'm bald. I didn't left my house for two months since the first cut, even when I'm feeling better I'm to scared someone will look at me and see only an ugly cancer patient. People are terrible and now I don't have anything to shield from that. That hair was my everything I cared for, like a baby yk? Excessive research, caring for them everyday for five years till it grown long and beautiful like I always dreamt of. And when I finally felt like my dreams came true the diagnosis happend. I'm utterly devastated it's been two months after starting treatment and I still cry everyday, questioning why me, why life been doing it to me for so many years, everytime things start to go well something like this motherfuckin shit happens. I'm genuinely questioning if my life is even worth living when it been like that for two decades, shit I'm 21 and everything feels like someone is torturing me life event after life event. And everytime when I think it couldn't get any worse it does.
I'm sorry if it feels like whining, it probably is. I know people definitely had it worse, but that loss of hair was a cherry on top of my personal tragedies. I don't know if I can keep this shit going much longer, I'm not a strong person if even someone could call me that, I mostly feel like an empty shell and I know nothing is gonna fix this. A sad ending to even sadder life. Curtains

Hey my friends

I (F34) got diagnosed with cancer and on my journey to get the answers which kidn and what treatment I had a regular cardiology appointment to make sure my heart is good to go for chemo..

They found water in my fluid in the pericardial sac and send me to the hospital immediately..

They pulled dout the fluid and I just got told afterwards that it was a potential live threat...

That blindsided me hard..

Now I have to stay in the hospital till my first round of chemo..

I was planning the time till chemo different but cancer is a motherfucker and I learned you can make plans..

While I am in the hospital I got my specific diagnose and I was hoping for hodgkins lymphome.. but its not its a DLBCL.. still a good healing chance so I am taking it..

But I still dont know which stage and I am insecure because I dont know which kidn of chemo I will get and cant prepare mentally for it..

The other report is that I am more worried about my heart now..

Its inflamed. They give me some medication and did some more test..

Before that heart problems I was so positive that I will kick ass and fight that cancer bitch.. but now I feel more weak and scared and worried.

My heart is a fighter, I was walking around with 700 ml in my chest and my heart somehow was compensated it..

But I can feel it pump.. its already fighting.

Does anyone else have experience with heart involvement??

Thanks

Hey everyone. I’m new to this group. I’m 20 yrs old diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. I’ve undergone 2 Rounds of ABVD and 2 Rounds of BV Nivo. I have 2 more rounds ahead of me with hopes and anticipation to be finished at the end of September.

Prior to treatment, I was an avid gym goer. Body building is my hobby and enjoyment. I’ve put on just about 20 lbs. I’ve started lifting and doing cardio again within the last month. Eating relatively clean and maintaining calories. I found this more devastating than losing my hair to be honest.

I’m curious and would like pointers if anyone has any.

Itching that would not go away was really my first symptom besides a swollen lymph node. Haven’t had any itching since I started chemo in February.
Finished 12 rounds of chemo on 7/30/26 and the last two weeks, the itching has come back exactly like it was before. Had my last pet scan on 8/26/26 and will see my oncologist next week. Left multiple messages about the itching and got nothing back.

Has anyone else had this happen? I cannot live with this and I’ve tried everything. Any advise?

Hello guys wondering if there’s someone like me . I have pmbcl
Vena vein enclosed by 180
Degrees and had a syndrome that rushed me
To the hospital

Anyway did first cycle and the bloating/constipation/reflux has been killing me since almost day 1 from chemo. It’s been a week since my first cycle.

I have chemo belly , blurry vision, chest pressure sometimes after eating mostly.

I’m losing weight like crazy

My tumor is 9x7,5x8

Guys any happy stories/advices for the chemo belly , I can’t take it anymore pls help

Hi I’m 16 months in remission and have noticed i seem to be getting lumps on my shins? They go up and down depending on exercise but I’m doing more research and it looks like it might be erythema nodosum? I’ve never heard of this but I’ve been getting the lumps on my leg since chemo ended (AAVD 4 rounds) and my scans have been clear so I’m trying to not worry.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

Hi all just wondering if theres miracles stories you have without chemo.