The final diagnosis was of an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is probably the worst sort to get if you’re unlucky enough to get lymphoma. Chemotherapy was recommended and the day was set for him to be admitted to start the course of treatment.The chemotherapy being proposed was aggressive and extremely demanding for the patient. In the case of Daniel’s treatment, the plan was two days of multiple cytotoxic drugs, followed by five days at home, and then weekly readmission for a period of three months. Emma made a point of visiting the ward when the ward round was on to check on his progress when he was about two-thirds of the way through the course. The team discussion was efficient and precise in the way medical teams have to be when confronting difficult treatment decisions for aggressive cancers. In his favour was his age, but going against him was the high grade of the cancer, his anaemia, multiple lymph nodes being involved, a raised level of a certain enzyme in his bloodstream and his increasing incapacity.
