Help Deanna in her fight against Lymphoma
Beyond all of time, this love is a forever love... Deanna's journey begins....
Being unwell for over a year, and now recently being diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer, Deanna sets off on her fight to beat cancer.. For those of you who don't know me but have chosen to follow this page and offer your support here is my background story of how I came to be where I am now. I am Deanna Johnston a 42 year old, self employed travel broker, living in Whangarei with my partner and our two gorgeous young children. I have been itching for months and months. I have been so uncomfortable, to the point where I felt close to mentalism (often telling my dermatologist that I am nearing being in a straight jacket because I cannot take much more of the terrible itching. I first went to Doctor in December of last year after approximately 3 months as my itching got so bad. I was going Insane for first of multiple times. My normal Doctor was not on so I had to see a Locum who hardly took notice of what I was saying and said I had Scabies. I replied that this wasn't the case as my children would have it and that I had been this way for a few months. But despite this I was treated for Scabies 3 times. Nothing changed and I continued to itch. I went back and saw my Doctor who put me on creams, antihistamines and more. And I was then referred to a dermatologist. My Body was covered in sores from scratching. People would tell me to stop but I couldn't it was unbearable. I would constantly be trying alternatives like Baking Soda and Vinegar to name just a couple (I was Googling alternatives desperate for ideas or something that would give me relief). Some things would help temporarily but nothing gave long term relief. By the time I saw the Dermatologist, his prognosis was insect bites, fleas, bed bugs which I seriously doubted as this was starting to affecting me from Head to Toe. No one else in the family was getting bitten. But listening to the Doctor the Dog was fleaed regularly and house flea bombed for good measure but as I thought would be the case I continued to itch. I was only seeing dermatologist every six weeks and at one stage when I saw him my sores seemed a lot better with more creams and antibiotics and antihistamines, steroids but I was still itching. Then it got so bad even Dermatologist got a shock when he saw my entire body covered in sores. I would ring him in-between my appointments in absolute distress and would up different steroids and changes of medication. I kept saying nothing was working and steroids were just making me mad so I stopped them. I told him I had chills, that felt like things moving under my skin it was a terrible feeling. (Later the Doctor in Hospital asked me if I had this - yet it didn't set off any warning bells with my Dermatologist) my feet were raw, my scalp felt like I had Head Lice. For over a year I have been scratching every day / all night often awake for hours with cold flannels until it eases or I finally fall back to sleep. One weekend I was so bad, I had been going downhill for a couple of weeks and between my Sister and my partner Ian they decided I needed to go to A & E. I was put on antibiotics which worked a treat and then they rang a Dermatologist at Auckland Hospital who agreed to see me so I went there next day for tests, creams, body wraps to help my skin. I was still itching but all the tests were coming back ok. They did send me for a chest xray but I didn't think there would be anything on it, so I was released to continue creams etc and see my dermatologist at normal appointment which was in a week so good timing for a follow up. They were baffled. I saw my Dermatologist the following week and he said they were still waiting for someone to get back to them on final report chest xray. They even asked if I was “open to talking to someone” which to me implied that they thought I was going mad, and I started thinking that they thought it was all in my head. I told him sure but I don't just scratch for sake of it. Here I am hiding my arms and legs as it looks like I am on P - I knew this wasn't something that I was imagining. After all this he rang me the next day saying the Xray shows shadow and they think this warrants a CT Scan so I was referred to have this done. After chasing him and the Hospital I finally got an appointment. The hospital then rang to tell me the CT Scan was broken so we changed plans and headed to Northland Radiology (who by the way were great). My scan was at 11.30am. The Dermatologist rang me at 3.30pm saying they found the reason for my itching and that I had Lymphoma. I was at home alone with my two small children Thomas and Hannah. I rang Ian and family who came running it was a massive shock to us all. The next step was heading straight to Whangarei Hospital to talk to Doctor. The Doctors and Nurses at Whangarei Hospital have been fantastic. I had more blood tests, a bone marrow biopsy, a needle biopsy through chest and was given drugs to help my cough (which by the way is something else I have had ongoing issues with over previous month and is now back). The Bone Marrow came back clear which was such a huge relief, however the needle biopsy was inconclusive. This is my Story as briefly as I can explain leading up to where we are now and when we began this page which is providing me so much love and support. You will have read the recent posts explain where we are at now but for those who are new our next step is now to have the major operation to access the mass behind my lung for a second biopsy which will take place next Wednesday from there we will hopefully have a much clearer picture of treatments and where too next. Again I thank everyone who has so kindly ‘liked’ this page I read everyone’s comments and am truly overwhelmed by all your kind words. I will keep you posted as I continue on my journey.
