Chapter 1: The Cancer Exposed

So, after months of testing, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage 2. Now, I know that it is a fairly mild case of Hodgkin's, but cancer is cancer. Since the testing began, I have been contemplating how this will effect my life style and the conclusion I have come to is that it will make me more cynical than I already am. However, I have decided to use my new super powers to fight evil, or at least the cancer that has attacked my body.

As I prepare to start Chemotherapy, I pondered what this means exactly. I will be doing 4 cycles of chemo, or 4 months. Each cycle consists of 2 treatments given every other week. Each treatment costs about $5ooo. So, I am going to be paying my doctor about $40,000 to poison me. Now he claims that he is going to be saving my life, which I could believe if I felt even a little sick or was experiencing any of the physical symptoms of Hodgkin's. However, as I feel as good as I did a 5 years ago, I wonder if the $40,000 isn't just a little too much.

Yeah, I know, how much is my life worth?? I would hope more than $40,000, but it still seems excessive to pay that much to poison somebody. If I wanted to poison my boss, I could pay somebody $10,000 to put arsenic in his Coors Lite. If I was in the mob, I'd probably do it for free. As such, I find it difficult to defend the exorbitant expense, however, I hope that this blog will help me come to terms with the financial rape I am about to receive.

As to the cancer itself, I feel somewhat like a phony. Sure, I have cancer, but it's not life threatening, it is highly treatable and there is a only a slim chance it will ever come back. Does this make me a cancer poser?? It's not like the Dr. said I only have 5 months to live. Instead, I have a few months of treatment then it's all better. It's like I got syphilis, but of the lymph nodes.

I start chemo in a week. Until then, I am in a holding pattern as the cancer continues to eat away at my lymph nodes. However, since I don't feel the tiny teeth chomping away, it's not all bad. So, until the poison starts eating away at my system, Cancer Boy will continue to fight the good fight.

Stay tuned for the next adventure of Cancer Boy: Why chemotherapy is like a hard kick to the testicles.