I noticed that there was something bumpy on my lower left neck back in April~May of 2011, but I didn't pay much attention to it because I had no pain, nor any symptom that suggests abnormality in my health condition. Then on the second week of June, my roommate saw my neck and told me that there is something big on my neck. I also consulted with my mother who is a dentist about this bump on my neck, and she insisted me to go see a doctor right away.
I went to the school's Hall Health first, where I went through a blood test, X-ray, then ultrasound. The healthcare practitioner then made a doctor's appointment with UW Medical Center's Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Center. After that I went through a PET scan, then a surgical biopsy. These whole process--from the first clinic visit to the diagnosis-- took 4 weeks in total. It was one of the most stressful weeks of my life. My mom from Japan also came to see me right before my surgical biopsy.
Through the results of the surgical biopsy, the diagnosis was determined. I had more than one lymph nodes swollen, and the largest one was as big as 7 cm in diameter. The stage was determined to be in between 2 and 3. Then soon I took a flight from Seattle to Japan with my mom, for the treatment.
Fortunately I was able to see a doctor in Tsukuba University Hospital just a few days after my homecoming. The doctor told me that I should be able to start the treatment as soon as next week or the week after, and scheduled me to have another blood test and bone marrow biopsy next Thursday.
It was on the second week of Summer Quarter at the time of my diagnosis. I withdrew from one class that I was registered, packed all my stuff and subleased my apartment, told my professor that I cannot be working on research for awhile, and will be submitting leave of absence from school for the next 6 months or so.
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