Lymphoma

Just wait to get your results. Po is correct to not jump the gun and assume the worst. And be aware lymphoma is very treatable. You have what you have regardless of what a doctor says. If a patient had cancer only after a doctors diagnosis, there would be no such thing as a false positive or false negative. Doctors are not 100% accurate. I had false negatives before being diagnosed stage IV. That usually occurs with other than biopsies which are usually correct In yes or no to lymphoma. However mistakes in typing biopsies are very common. ALWAYS get a second opinion. ALWAYS!

Regardless of my wishes or life plans, I developed a pretty much nightmare medical resumé. Regarding lymphoma, I have been stage IV at least twice, with close to 100 tumors total. Plus Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a leukemia precursor marrow cancer caused by treatment. I began with one cancer, an immediate relapse of that same cancer, then two cancers at second relapse, then three cancers simultaneously. And, not just any lymphomas, but two rare and aggressive T-Cell Lymphomas (Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma - Not Otherwise Specified as well as Angioimunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma). Either has a poor prognosis, and both have an extremely poor prognosis once relapse occurs. Two relapses and two lymphomas? Prognosis worse than abysmal. Recently given a 0.5% chance of surviving all of this. Sound hopeless? Not at all. This began 10 years ago. I remain fat, dumb and happy for the most part, and cancer free.

When you are in a tunnel, you move toward the distant sliver of light, not the darkness. It may not be fun in the tunnel, but at least you know there is light at the far end. In your case at this point, you only fear that you are in a tunnel. That tunnel may never appear. 

ShadyGuy said:

No panic

I saw no signs Chris was in panic mode. Did you? Po you are correct - panic usually does not help any situation. I believe your credentials. 

Chris stated being "scared" and needing advice. 

"Scared" is a common reaction, usually involuntary; panic a mode of response -- a common one to substantial fear.  The responses given were putatively reasonable and common-sense in content.

ShadyGuy said:

Panic

Panic is a sudden sensation of fear, which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reaction.

Shady,

Correct, which is why Po and I advise against panic, one of the most common reactions among new arrivals here. There is a rational, de facto reason to presume it is relevent to  a newcomer expressing fear.

Max

University Insturctor in Formal [Aristotelian] and Mathematical Logic and Logic Metatheory [in the manner of the term employeed by Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead], and Boolean Algebra [Boolean in Naval Schools only for computer and digital theory analysis].  

Any time you want to talk rationality and logic, I'm available via the e-mail feature.

When I was told of my diagnosis my boss (breast cancer survivor) happened to be standing at my desk. I'll never forget what she told me - "think of this like a project" (we work in IT). "you are in the analysis stage right now.". My response was "I hope it goes better than some of our projects". Still makes me laugh.

A little over a month ago a co-worker was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer. He came to talk to me the day after he was told about it. To say he was on edge was to put it mildly. Besides pointing out that he was in shock (he knew that) when he told me his wife was on his case about not having gone to the Dr sooner I told him about Max's "calculation" of 450+ disease per symptom. He shared it with his wife and it did help calm them both down.  I also shared the "project" analogy with him. 

Laughter is a good medicine. 

happy to find this group. i need someone to confide  on my worries and questions. i have siezures sometimes 7 times a night the next day i shall be on my bed the whole day.