dover Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Well allot of you do not know the story behind why I have been in Columbus for so long. Figure it is about time to clear things up now that everything is back to normal. (for the most part) I joined the Army in Feb 2007 as an 11B. Did my OSUT at Ft. Benning, GA. From there I took orders to Ft. Polk, LA. I was there for 6 months and bam deployed. I did 14 months in Baghdad on fire base JSS SUJ. Everything was normal about the deployment, I.E.D's, E.F.P's, complex ambushes, etc. Well we came home in January of 2009. That is when I discovered a swollen lymph node. I was told by our PA that it was nothing don't worry about it. Week passes it is still there no changes. A squad leader of mine notices me messing with it. (Like a bouncy ball just above my collar bone) He tells me go to the hospital have it looked at. I then go to the post Hospital to get it looked at by the Army doctors of Ft. Polk. They tell me it appears to be a swollen lymph node nothing major but they order a CT Scan of the chest/collar bone area. Hours later, they tell me scan came out they say looks normal no big deal.. Hours later, I am back in my room at the barracks, the doctor calls me and tells me to he things I should do a biopsy of the lymph node. I figure whatever they seem confident it is nothing. I return back the next day do the surgery, it's an in and out thing. Doctor says no big deal you will get a call in a week or so when we get the results. I say cool. Head back to my unit go about my business (we just returned from deployment so of course there is a whole lot of shit going on). Next day get a phone call from my mother in a panic. She says she spoke with the doctor and he had said that there was a possible chance that it was cancer. I say no mother we spoke yesterday everything is fine, quit worrying about it, I am only 20 years old! Doctor calls me back 20 minutes after I am off the phone with my mother. He specifies that I need to come to his office he needs to speak with me... I grab my squad leader and head to the hospital. As I am sitting there I am like what in the hell is going on, oblivious to why I would be there! Well he comes in, in the verge of tears, tells me that they believe I have cancer of the lymph system. They need to run more tests. I am just silent, no idea how to respond. I am 1000 miles from home, no family, tired, worn out from my deployment, and now I have this on my plate! My squad leader takes me back to the barracks where I call my mother. Of course that turns into an hour long session of her crying telling me to get home. I head up to my company area and sit down with my 1SG and Commander and explain the situation. They are in complete shock. They immediately say get to Ohio. I flew home that night. The next day I was at Zangmeister Center by the airport. I was officially diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in the stage 2 form. I was then put on a chemotherapy/radiation plan. So the spring and summer of 2009 I was pretty much sucked into that. I didn't speak of it much and only a few people knew about it. But I have been considered in remission for the last 8 months! And since then I got an return to duty from the army. So sure enough I am back at Ft. Eustis, VA about to re-enlist another 4 years in the good old army! Sorry about the long read, but it is a proud moment in my life that I am able to return to duty and go back to my job healthy again. It has been a long long long path to recovery. But I would like to thank allot of you that were there for me and kept me company and kept my spirits up throughout the entire experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGU Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 good lord that is dedication! glad to have people like you serving in the army. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linc5.0 Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Miss ya already bro. If you wanna put the cobra in my shop so it doesnt sit outside we can make that happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWW$HEEET Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 shit dude, had no clue. you think that would be a medical disqualifier permanently! good luck and stay well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87GT Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Stay safe dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bam Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Congrats on beating it and hopefully it stays that way! So are you going to be a career military man? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowgli1647545497 Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Congrats on beating it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Jones Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Congrats BRUH http://riff-o-matic.com/private/riff-a-day/june_04/eye_of_the_tiger/06collection.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jizzle Juice Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 You know whenever you want me to come im down there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Still going to ranger school? I gots a buddy down there at polk, Jesse Fiedler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 No shit??? I had no idea. I would've bought you a beer the other night. LOL Seriously though, congrats and good luck amigo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sol740 Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 I'm glad to hear you are doing well. Stay safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSXRAntwon Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 You know ur like a brother to me, so stay safe and I'll see ya soon wit yo Busa!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otis Nice Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Wow. Very inspirational. Pushes me harder to continue losing weight so I can join. Thanks for serving. I also have a buddy at Ranger school. Good luck in your military career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dover Posted September 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Thanks guys! I'm not at ranger school yet hopefully soon, still trying to get linked up with a line unit at this point. As far as career goes who knows, it's a good possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJdidit1738 Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Congrats, So when we doing a Cr roadtrip to VA beach? its only 8 hours away leave at 6 friday night be there party race all saturday and sunday, come back, shit im down, I aint got shit to do lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jizzle Juice Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Congrats, So when we doing a Cr roadtrip to VA beach? its only 8 hours away leave at 6 friday night be there party race all saturday and sunday, come back, shit im down, I aint got shit to do lol IN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMeanGreen Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Were you around any chemicals overseas? My grandfather died of lymph node cancer brought on by Agent Orange. It only took them 30 years to admit it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinner Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 congratz on the recovery. I had a friend go through ranger school I loved it but said mentally it was the hardest thing he had ever done. Also he dropped about 25 lbs while going through the school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oh8sti Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 I miss you Michael David Dover ( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Brian Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Good stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTA09 Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 glad to hear your back in where you want to be and that your health is better. i was stationed in ft. eustis in mid 80s , spent alot of weekends at VA beach and even remember some of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koolrayz Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Thank god it was the "hodgkins" type Lymphoma, the "non" has a much worse survival rate. I spent some time researching this all last year. I had a tumer last fall on my neck, the doctor was sure it was Lymphoma beacause of the tumor changing in size. It turned out it was a rare vascular tumor that was not malignant. Congrats on your remission and good luck with your deployment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04silvrz Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 wow. good for you man, that's a great story that is real shit. very encouraging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jelloman4571647545499 Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Jesus this is the EXACT same thing my brother had happen after his second deployment. Good luck to you man and stay healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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