My Hickman Line

A Hickman Line is a tube that goes inside your chest, around the inside or you chest and into your main vein above your heart. The reason for having this sort of line is to avoid the LARGE number of NEEDLES needed to have chemo.

So for my fear and phobia, it was right up my street. However, they don't build you up for what it looks like after the operation. When I first saw it I wanted to cry and scream. It was nasty and ugly and hurt like hell.

They have to make two holes in your chest so they can get the tube in and then the second hole is where the tube comes out and lies on the outside of your chest so the drip can connected to. It then went behind my breast bone and into my vein.

It is amazing these days what they can do for people because I really do not know how I would have got on with having to have needles almost every week for the next year and then for the next five years.

A few weeks on from having the line put in, it does become part of you. When I first had it done, it hurt so much and I couldn't move the left side of my chest or my arm and shoulder much because of the pain and bruising but now I can do normal everyday things.

The worst part was when I could actually feel it going into my chest and that was because my body was trying to reject it as it hadn't healed inside my chest.

Your probably wondering what I do with the bit of tubing that is hanging out my chest, well I can do ANYTHING I want with it. I can put it inside my bra so you can't see it or have it taped at the side of my chest under my top, anywhere its actually quite fun putting it in different places.

So far ...

7th Jan 2010

• Went to see my local doctor about the lump on my neck. She examined it and said wasn't sure what it was so sent me to see a private surgeon who specialises in lumps straight away.

9th Jan 2010

• Saw my consultant Mr Paterson, who sent me to x-ray, ultrasound on my neck and blood tests.

12th Jan 2010

• Saw Mr Paterson again for blood test results. Lump in my neck had to be removed and white blood cells abnormal, but unsure why yet.

18th Jan 2010

• Admitted to Little Aston Hospital to have operation. Sent to sleep by gas so I had no needles.

26th Jan 2010

• Stitches removed, but results from the biopsy weren't back.

30th Jan 2010

• Saw Mr Paterson and Bethan my other consultant for results. Diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease.

2nd Feb 2010

• Went to Little Aston for CT Scan to see if the cancer had spread around the rest of my body. Had to have the plastic needle tube thing in my arm :( and drink 700ml of this nasty thick white stuff. Then had to have dye pumped around my body by a drip so they could see different things in my blood.

3rd Feb 2010

• Went to Parkway in Solihull for results early. Only spread to the rest of my neck and top of chest. Told about losing my hair and given a voucher for a professional hair place in Birmingham called Pink.

6th Feb 2010

• Went to Little Aston to meet my Haematologist and discuss my treatment. Told I would be having Chemotherapy for the next 6 months and after that see how the cancer is getting on, and if it has all gone.

8th Feb 2010

• Admitted to Little Aston for the operation to have my Hickman Line put inside my chest.

11th Feb 2010

• Appointment at Pink in Birmingham to look at wigs and talk about my hair falling out.

12th Feb 2010

• Lung function test at Good Hope to check my lungs are ok to have the drugs I'm having for my treatment.

• Chemo starts for the next 6 months.

To see more posts click 'Older Posts' below! :)

What is Hodgkin's Disease?

Hodgkin Lymphoma is named after Dr Thomas Hodgkin who was the first person to document lymphoma in scientific papers in 1832.

Hodgkin's Disease is cancer of the lymphatic system and white blood cells, and is the most common cancer in people ages fifteen to thirty-five, but can affect people over the age of fifty-five. It is known to occur more in men than women.

The lymphatic system is made up of tubes, glands and other organs such as the spleen. The glands are called lymph nodes, and these are what become infected when you have lymphoma. Lymph nodes are normally found under the arms, in the neck and in the groin. The lymphatic system is part of your immune system and this is what helps your body fight infection.

Lymphomas occur when something goes wrong with this messaging system. Some of the cells start to divide in an abnormal way, or do not die when they should. These abnormal cells then begin to form lumps in the lymph nodes. They can form in other places too and even spread to lymph nodes in other parts of the body.

Symptoms of lymphoma

The most common symptom of lymphoma is a painless lump or swelling in the neck, armpit or groin. Some people will have no symptoms other than a lump. Other symptoms can include:

• unusual tiredness
• excessive sweating, especially at night
• persistent flu like symptoms
• fevers
• difficulty shaking off infections
• unexplained weight loss without trying
• abdominal pain diarrhoea
• cough or breathlessness
• unexplained itching
• pain after drinking alcohol

Looking back know, I had, had lots of these symptoms, but because I was a normal twenty-one year old and in my final year at uni I put it down to all the hard work I was doing, along with all the stress from the course. And so when you notice these little things you don't really think anymore about them, you just assume you are fit and well.