It wasn't ovarian, it was lymphoma

[Ohjoyohbliss]

My original thread is nearly full, hence starting this one.

I knew I probably had cancer in late July 2025 but it took until the end of August to get a definitive diagnosis: Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma, Stage 4.

I have had six rounds of chemo, the last of which was on 12 December. Had a lot of nausea and vomiting, plus an infection which left me hospitalised on oxygen and IV antibiotics for a while. I am extremely weak now, and waiting to find out whether the cancer is still active. (A scan at the half way point showed it was.)

Obviously things will be very different in 2026 and go one of two ways, depending on the scan result, which I will find out on Friday 16th January.

Previous thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/cancer/5382361-likely-ovarian-terrified-anyone-available-for-a-hand-hold

(Not sure why that takes you to the middle of the thread; sorry.)

@Ohjoyohbliss I’m impressed and think you’ll do a great job. I’m not in the UK but think I’ll look that up. There might be something different I could do. Go Joy Go!!!! Many many years ago I did a 30 mile walk for hunger. Never had any experience walking before but boy it was fun. Good luck Joy :).

I shall pop a donation in the next Cancer Research box I see in your honour - consider yourself sponsored.

That's great to hear Joy. And an amazing way to motivate yourslef. You are an inspiration- following you here I am aware it's not a piece of cake for you to walk every day that sort of distance.
Being outdoors is great not just for our bodies, but also for our minds. Fair play to you Joy. Great to know Cancer Research is involved in cancer clinical trials :)

Great re your walking plan Joy. Very very good cause too obviously! Onwards and upwards!

That's great, thanks! Trouble is, these days there don't seem to be any collection boxes per se, it's all chuggers wanting you to sign your life away.

I was sick last night. First time for many months and I don't know what caused it. We had lasagne for tea - supermarket, but a quality one, with some veg on the side. A couple of hours later, it all came back. I felt awful and slept badly for the first half of the night, aching all over, not just my tummy. Then it passed and I slept really well for the rest of the night. Feel fine today.

Hi Joy.
I am glad to hear the tummy ache is gone. Please let the supermarket know about what happened, that was likely to be linked to the mince. It shouldn't have happened and they may have to recall those lasagnas.
In any case, you have been very unlucky. x

I managed 1.1 miles on day 1, with a long sit down half way. A steady start. Tomorrow's weather forecast is for rain much of the day but hopefully it will brighten later, as I don't want to get too far behind.

Joy.. You are making me feel bad!

My DD asked me if I'd do this mile a day walk with her. I didn't do it yesterday as we did a 2 car mega dump run but you have given me a kick up the *.

I do have chronic plantar fasciitis/foot problems, dodgy knees and hips but if you can do it so can I.

I shall be thinking of you as I'm plodding along on the only flat bit of lane in my very hilly Cornish village. Does anyone know how I can measure it? Phone app? Time taken?

A mile a day! .... respect!!

Woohoo!

I use the Strava app. I only have the free version. You can link it to the Cancer Research giving page so it updates it automatically, but I chose not to do that, I'm just posting screenshots.

Be careful with the plantar fasciitis and joint problems; no point wrecking your own health in the process. I'm hoping it will be a win-win for me, as I need to force myself to move more.

It's hilly here too (Pennines) and I really struggle on the uphill bits, getting slower and slower, but downhill is nice, as long as it's not too steep! Thinking of going to a local country park to walk round the lake (flooded former open-cast mine and quarry,) as it's an easy flat path, a bit over a mile, but I will have to drive there.

Thank you Joy. I will be very careful.

Well done Joy! 👏Admirable.

I did walk round the lake on Wednesday, then round a park on Thursday, after which I was exhausted. I had done 4 miles in the 3 days, so I took Friday as a rest day. Saturday and Sunday's walks were both to football games, so now I've done just over 6 miles. Trying to think of other flat, easy walks I can do.

Oh and I had worried that no one would sponsor me, but people have been wonderful and I've had to increase my target a couple of times.

Fantastic Joy! 😊

Well done, Joy! You certainly have great willpower. I'm glad you took some rest though :) You need it.
It's very inspirational.

Today has unintentionally turned into another rest day because I was sick again this morning and have spent the rest of the day in bed. I had yogurt with granola for breakfast then, when I had some OJ, it all curdled inside me somehow.

Still have some stomach discomfort but I don't feel nauseous. My temperature is normal. As it's the second time in just over a week, and having not been sick for months prior to this, I will mention it to my medical teams.

Oh no, that's horrid! I hope you feel better soon @Ohjoyohbliss

Sorry to hear that Joy. You did well mentioning your stomach issues to the medical teams. I hope you will be much better tomorrow x

I think it's a good idea too Joy. I hope you have improved.

Sorry to hear that you had a tummy upset.
Perhaps avoid the orange juice for the moment. It can be quite harsh to delicate insides
Well done with the walking. Don't over do it.
All the best.

Yeah, I asked DH to throw away the rest of the bottle of OJ (he doesn't drink it) and the yoghurt was a single pot so obviously that's gone. The cat enjoying licking out the empty yoghurt pot, which suggests there was nothing wrong with it.

Today DH made bacon butties for breakfast so that was a good start to the day. He came with me on a reservoir walk and I managed 1.7 miles. I mentioned a while ago a friend of ours who died of cancer earlier this year; he had suggested this particular reservoir walk as something achievable, so we remembered him and wished him RIP as we walked round.

Walked a mile and a half this evening. We're a third of the way through the month and I'm more than a third of the way towards my target of 30 miles - I've done 11.66 to be exact. I need to bank some extras because next Monday I'm in hospital having IVIG, which takes most of the day, so unlikely to walk, then on Wednesday I'm having the first load of vaccinations, as mentioned previously, and I have no idea how I will react to those and whether I'll be up to doing much. I hope I'll be ok to go out on Thursday as I'm booked in for an eye test.