Follicular Lymphoma Stories

It's been kind of a quiet week in Follicular Lymphoma Land. Not a whole lot of research popping up (a few things, but they're either so dense that I'm still trying to understand them, or so narrow, and effect so few patients, that I'm not sure it's worth writing about).

But I haven't written anything in over a week, and I'm getting a little anxious. I've been snooping around the internet, trying to find something interesting to write about.

So I've gathered some stories for you.

I know, for me, hearing someone else's stories is always a comfort, especially when they are stories of hope and success. September was Lymphoma Awareness Month, so it was a good excuse for lots of folks to tell their stories. And then there are the sites that features patient stories year-round.

So maybe click on a few and get a little hope?

ChicagoNow has an interview with a Follicular Lymphoma patient in an article called "Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma: An Interview with a Fighter." It's a familiar story -- a shocking diagnosis and a willingness to learn about her disease -- biut it's good to know we're not alone in this, and that it's best not to be.

Here's another: an interview with a patient and her oncologist for Lymphoma Awareness Month, from WOCA radio in Florida.  The radio interviewers don't know much about FL, which is fine -- they ask some good questions, and get some good information -- and pass it on to their listeners. I always enjoy hearing an oncologist get excited about helping a patient, and sharing his hope.

Those are pretty recent stories, but there are others out there, to.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation has an ongoing section of their website called "Stories of Hope," with a separate section for stories from patients with Follicular Lymphoma (including a story from Lymphoma Rock Star Betsy DeParry).

And Lymphomation.org has a whole bunch of stories from patients about their experiences with being diagnosed, with specific treatments, and with the psychological effects of the disease. And they also have a unique section with poetry and art -- a different type of story-telling.

My kids used to love to hear stories from me, and they still do, especially stories about my life and the nutty people I've known (and there are lots -- I seem to attract them, which is a wonderful thing). Stories like that help us connect, and sometimes remind us that what we are feeling isn't as unusual as we might think.

I hope you enjoy some of these stories, and feel some connection.

And I'll keep searching the web for interesting things to write about.