My Real Prognosis!

Well my family doctor didn't give much of a prognosis. He admitted never having anyone 37yrs old with Non hodgkins Lymphoma (NHL). Anyhow Yesterday Oct 29, 2009 I visited the London Cancer clinic for my first appointment. I brought my mom and my wife. It was nice to have them there! My wife has been great because she advocates for me quite well. She was very nervous as was I while we sat in the waiting room but she put on the brave face. My mom she hurts I can see that she's scared for me. I have 2 little daughters. All I can think when I'm in the cancer clinic is that I'm glad I got cancer and not my daughters. So for my mom to watch her son with cancer is hard.
Next I do some bloodwork followed by more waiting. Finally we are called into an examination room. Next I meet the oncologist Dr. Chin Yee he does an examination of me. Then he sits down a proceeds to explain my prognosis. For an hour and half my wife spews out questions. He anwsers everyone carefully and detailed. I realize after he leaves the room that I didn't hear one question or any of his anwsers. I was to busy thinking of my girls without dad... I heard 8 yrs so I thought I had eight yrs to live. I looked over after Dr Chin Yee had let the room. My mom and wife looked happy. I thought 8 yrs must be ok with them. I said, "What do you think?". My mom said she was hopeful. Jen seemed very satisfied to. Man oh Man bring people with for these kinds of appointments. Basically this is what I have learned since. Don't hold me to this because it's all new as of now. I have Follicular Non Hodgkins Lymphoma grade 3a. This is where it get's confusing. There's 4 stages of this lymphoma 1,2,3,and 4.... 1&2 being the slower growing and 3&4 being the more agressive. Grade 3 also has an a&b myself having 3a. You actually want the more agressive cancer. Grade 3 responds well to chemo and once in remission tends to stay in remission for a long time. If it does come back it's very treatable with chemo again. Where as 1&2 doesn't react as well to chemo and tends not to stay in remission as long. When it comes back it's harder to treat each time. Grade 3a means I'm in the middle and they won't know if it will react as a 2 or a 3. Let's hope it will act as a 3.