Unsure

[sonette]

Hi everyone..my Son of 23yr old is just being diagnose with NHL😢 we are a very small family that lives in Australia after we migrated from South Africa. He is being sick for more than 1,5 years, but dr's only broke the news to him 2days ago. Can any body tell me what to expect, we very unsure who we can support him and to stay positive. He is not talking to us a his parents currently because he still struggle to get to terms what is happening. ..please help us with info...my husband and I are heart broken for our dear Son😢

[Felix_2010]

First of all I'm very sorry that you're going through this. As a parent I can't imagine how difficult it is to watch your son go through this. I have a son the same age.

Secondly though, I want to say take a deep breath and don't panic. NHL is very treatable and the number of NHL survivors is rising each day. Many of them are here and will be able to share their own journeys with you.

I can well imagine your son not wanting to let you in at this stage - he's in shock and probably expecting the worst outcome. All you can do is let him know you're here for him. Maybe write him a note? You could include this website too. There are people going through the same thing and he might find the information and support helpful.

Thinking of you all x

[Cjjn3 in reply to Felix_2010]

I'm a mother and also have NHL. As a mother my heart goes out to you.As a person with NHL I totally understand him not able to talk about it at this time. He is young and in shock. He will come to accept the illness but also with time, he will reach out and talk to you. We all handle the diagnosis in our own way, but we eventually realize that we need family and friends to help us through the hard times and to celebrate the small and big victories as they come along. Right now he can't see beyond the diagnosis, but he will! Have patience, hope, love and prayers. It's amazing what can happen😇🙏

[TezzM]

First you need to reassure your son than he is not alone. NHL can be managed and he can look forward to many years to come. It is important to get him to read our stories to show him that there are many of us traveling the same path. He can talk to us and get a better understanding of what to expect and how to cope. It is important to be positive and believe that he can get through the shock of diagnosis and move on.

[Shar0n Volunteer]

Hi sonette and welcome to NHL Friends. I am sorry that your family has to face this journey with cancer. It is always at first a shock and not easy to gather your thoughts and see what is to be done next. You will need to find out what sub type of NHL that your son has been diagnosed with as this will determine the next step. If the lymphoma is indolent meaning slow growing there will be one course of action but if it is an aggressive version , the medical team will have a different protocol. It will also depend on how extensively the lymphoma has spread. Even when it is in several locations, the news is not as gloomy as with other cancers and many lymphomas respond very well to treatment.

The first thing would be for you to learn as much as you can about your son's illness. Find out what type of NHL he has and obtain a booklet from your country's cancer organisation so that you can read up on it and you or your son can make a list of questions for his doctors. This is the beginning of a journey with many good outcomes so equipping yourselves with knowledge will empower you to face into it.

Your son is most likely in shock and will be feeling a range of emotions including anger, which is to be expected, but the more he learns, the stronger he will be. Lots of good info here so please come back and keep posting. All the best to you and your family.

[Tinkerbellcgy]

Sonette, you have been given some really good advice in the replies before mine. It would seem that your son has receded into himself to process and come to terms with his diagnosis. While there is no cure for lymphoma, it can be managed quite well providing a patient with many good quality years of life ahead for them. I am proof of that. I have experienced lymphoma 3 times in the last 8 years and I am still going strong so there is hope for a good prognosis for your son.

As many have already said, there are plenty of us who have walked this path and are happy to provide any information or support that your family might need. Please reach out to us; we are all willing to assist you and your family.

[yooper5]

NHL is one of two cancers that respond well to chemotherapy. Does Amazon deliver to Australia? Get the book, You Are What THEY Eat, by Dr. Ken W. Crawford. He is on Facebook.

[R-16728 in reply to yooper5]

I've become a recent convert to the Crawford book. How long have you been working with the diet? Are you receiving other treatment?

I've begun to carefully review what I eat and make adjustments especially re not eating sugar. I'm hoping to move off my drug (zydelig) in about two months time and see if my body can take over the fight. Dave in Canada

[yooper5 in reply to R-16728]

Hi Dave, I finished treatment for NHL two years ago. A friend told me about Dr. Crawford in January. Dr. Ken helped his wife with severe Chrones Disease & he thought he could help me post-chemo. Has it ever! I had amazing results within days of doing what Dr. Ken said. I told Dr. Ken how it helped with the neuropathy in my feet and he had me write the foreword to his latest book, NuOnclogy, Cancer Prevention & Anti-aging, volume 1. I offered to edit the books for free just to get the information. It is life changing! Friend him on Facebook. He is very approachable. Tell him Susan sent you. Other treatment. I take vitamins. And the food Dr. Ken suggests. Otherwise, no other drugs.

[wmay13241]

I encourage you and your son to research, research, research. Mental attitude is VERY important to beating back NHL, as are exercise, healthy diet, adequate sleep, and minimum stress.

NHL treatment and prognosis is very dependent on what of NHL your son has - there are 60+ different NHL types. Once you find out your son's NHL type, here are three good resources for NHL information:

lymphoma.org

lymphomation.org/

lls.org/

[laylalulu]

Great posts guys and great advice ! I felt the same when I was diagnosed but educating yourself and having faith, and honestly joining this site was the best thing for me. I am watch and wait for over 2 years! Your son is absorbing a lot of info and he'll come to you when he's ready, you and your husband need to educate yourself on the sites and stay positive for him. Good luck hope he joins this site.

[l-al]

I am 81. Was diagnosed in 1994, am stage 3, had a stem cell transplant n 1999 and another relapse in 2005. This is not to scare you, just to show you how treatable NHL is. There are several new drugs that will be effective and your oncologist will decide the best one for your son. My daughter was diagnosed first in 1974 with NHL. She went through treatment for about two years and became an adult with 4 children. Please keep faith and support your son. Some of it is difficult for both of you, but good will prevail. My best to you and your family

[marycassar51]

What part of Australia do you live. I live in a small Victoria town called Cohuna about 2000 population.

Has your son seen a councilor, talking to a stranger helps because you are not worried about hurting their feelings. Sometimes it is easier talking to someone that is not emotionally involved with him. The councilor can also teach him strategies to help him cope.

I wish you all the best.

Please keep your hopes up high and take it day by day.