Lori's Profile

I had radiation therapy in 1984 for Hodgkin lymphoma, at age 22. The radiation therapy was very good at killing HL cells but also severely damaged my heart valves. I’ve been monitored for many years and started having symptoms that led me to several months of doctor visits and testing. To make a long story short, I am now 62 and scheduled for heart surgery on September 12th. At first, I was very excited about getting this long awaited journey behind me, and anxious to get back to an active lifestyle. However, I am now almost 4 weeks out from surgery and now recall how scared I was when I learned that I had cancer. I am overwhelmed with questions and concerns, and would greatly appreciate any help that would give me a better idea of what to expect over the next several months.