Dad's update - 1 year after he started Chemo/rads - all is great!!

Dear friends!

I was away from this forum for quite some time now... To tell you the truth time is passing so fast, summer is here, we're really trying to enjoy life. Some of you know me and were a great help for me in times, when it was the worst and when I neede an advice. For all newcomers - this is wonderful place and I don't know what would I do without it when my dad started this hard journey last year.

Today is exactly one year - when he started with 35 rads and 7 chemo treatments (Cisplatin) for T2N3 Oropharyngeal cancer (BOT and lymph nodes in neck). He finished in September 2012 and first three months were the worst. After new year he slowly began to feel better. His scans showed still a bit enlarged node in his neck (very close to jugular vein) whicn measured aproximately 2 cm in January. Then he had scopes and scans and 3 needle biopsies which only showed that it is probably just destroyed node from radiations and it stayed a bit enlarged. Needle biopsy showed only "junk" in it, so they decided for another CT scan in June. It showed nothing to be concerned about. The node is now even smaller and neck, lungs and head show no evidence of desease!!!! Praise the Lord for that!!!

It was a tough journey, but this board helped me and my family like nobody else!! For those who don't know, we're from Europe, we live in Slovenia. Our treatments are the same as in US, so this forum was a great source of information and comfort. I have never met more caring people! So I thank you for great comfort and advice in times when we were lost the most! You always answered, you were always here for us!! So I will try to come to this forum more often again to share our experience and give advice if I can. I updated my info, so you can click my name and maybe it can be a comfort for somebody with same diagnosis who is just starting this bumpy road.

Dad is feeling great! He gained about 5kg from January. Still has a lot of issue with saliva and taste, but he can live with that. He takes no medication anymore (since spring) and I just pray to God that it stays that way and that this beast never occurs anymore!!

God bless all of you and hope you're all doing well! Love you!

V.

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    Great is Grerat!

    V,

    Very cheery post, I am always glad to hear about a positive recovery.  Everyday seems a little better so keep on healing.

    Matt

  • yensid683
    yensid683 Member Posts: 349
    Similar circumstances

    Much like your father, I too was BOT with nodes along the left side, similar treatments too but Erbitux instead of Cisplatin and instead of waiting and watching the nodes that lit up on the scans, I had two neck dissections, 5 months apart and am NED.  I'm so happy to hear that your dad is doing so well.  I too am not taking any medication and it felt good to hear my oncologist's surprise that I had no meds.  My ENT said that I didn't look like a cancer patient.  It feels so good to be approaching normal.

    This site is a reflection of all of its members, the most active of posters, and those who simply read and learn from other's experiences.  You too are part of it and I recall your words of encouragement to me when I needed to hear from others who knew what I was going through.  You're part of the amazing people here.

    We all both need and share support for anyone fighting 'the beast'. 

    P

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    Great news!!!

    That is so great to read!  I love posts like this!!  

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Awesome...

    Great news, thanks for the catch up.....

    So happy that it worked out so well for your father, and you...

    John

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    Skiffin16 said:

    Awesome...

    Great news, thanks for the catch up.....

    So happy that it worked out so well for your father, and you...

    John

    Thanks for posting

    Such good news! Tell your Dad I am now more than 12 mos. post tx and still continue to see some improvements. It was great to hear from you.

    God Bless,

    Candi

  • Ingrid K
    Ingrid K Member Posts: 813
    Yippee for Dad

    Can't believe it's been one year, WOW. 

    I am sure it feels longer for your dad, but sounds like he is doing very very well.

    And to be off the meds in such a short time is wonderful....it took me all of 2 years.

    Stay in touch once in a while as you and your dad's story is very inspirational to those just starting the journey to let them know it is doable.

     

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member
    thanks

    thanks for posting! it is really nice to get these updates to know how folks are progressing long after the frenzy associated with the immediate treatment and post tx trials and tribulations. don

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    Oooo Vanessa....

    you sound so light....so happy!!  What great news about your dad....I'm delighted to hear that things are returning to the new normal.  I know how upsetting that stupid node was....but I just KNEW it was junk. 

    A year down the road and we're all getting back to regular life.  I hated it when they said it would be that long and this would just be a bad dream.....but now on the other side, things are truly more wonderful than ever before.

    Hugs to you.

    p

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    Glad to hear things are

    Glad to hear things are positive and he's doing well!  My dad just finished treatments today so I hope that in a year I can come post the same!

    Good luck and praying for you and your family!

    Cherie

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    CherieLW said:

    Glad to hear things are

    Glad to hear things are positive and he's doing well!  My dad just finished treatments today so I hope that in a year I can come post the same!

    Good luck and praying for you and your family!

    Cherie

    cherir!  u have 2 ring the

    cherir!  u have 2 ring the bell 4 ur dad!!  finishing trmnt is a big deal around here.  in fact, u have 2 ring the bell and dance a jig around the kitchen!  get busy.  congrats 2 ur dad.  now starts the road 2 recovery.

    dj

  • VanessaSLO
    VanessaSLO Member Posts: 283
    Thank you all

    It is so nice to see all your kind comments. I will come to this forum more often again. Last year was really hard and challenging for our family. Things are getting back to normaly again and I truly want this to stay this way. I'll never forget some names here who truly helped me thru this. My parents are truly grateful!

    I hope everything will be ok in the future. To tell the truth it scares me sometimes, but I always try to put those thoughts away. Not to mention the paranoid feelings that cross my mind from time to time - If me or any member of our family has some sort of weird pain or ache somewhere in the body, I immediatelly think, what if it is something serious, cancer maybe? You all know how terrible this desease is, but it is doable and you come to the other side much stronger and much more appreciative to the miracle of life. But still, it leaves consequences - fear that it might come back or appear somewhere else (in some of your family members).

    Thank you again and pray for everyone!!

  • Crazymom
    Crazymom Member Posts: 339 Member
    Whoo Hoo

    Glad it is getting better and scan was good!

     

    Ann

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member

    Thank you all

    It is so nice to see all your kind comments. I will come to this forum more often again. Last year was really hard and challenging for our family. Things are getting back to normaly again and I truly want this to stay this way. I'll never forget some names here who truly helped me thru this. My parents are truly grateful!

    I hope everything will be ok in the future. To tell the truth it scares me sometimes, but I always try to put those thoughts away. Not to mention the paranoid feelings that cross my mind from time to time - If me or any member of our family has some sort of weird pain or ache somewhere in the body, I immediatelly think, what if it is something serious, cancer maybe? You all know how terrible this desease is, but it is doable and you come to the other side much stronger and much more appreciative to the miracle of life. But still, it leaves consequences - fear that it might come back or appear somewhere else (in some of your family members).

    Thank you again and pray for everyone!!

    Thoughts & Fears...

    I think that we all go through the scenarios...

    For the first two years or so, everytime I had something going on for more than a few days, thoughts started creeping in..., it's common. Before cancer, I nere thought like that....

    But over time (now going into my fifth year post Tx), I'm pretty much at ease concerning those thoughts... It does get better with time.

    John

  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    Crazymom said:

    Whoo Hoo

    Glad it is getting better and scan was good!

     

    Ann

    V ...

    Now that is some wonderful news !!  Be sure and tell mom and dad hello for me.

     

    Still think you and your family, mom and dad should come to Idaho for a visit, me and your dad can take in some fishing, hunting or cutting wood.....then again we could just sit around and feel good about still being here too!! HA!

    Tim

  • VanessaSLO
    VanessaSLO Member Posts: 283
    Tim6003 said:

    V ...

    Now that is some wonderful news !!  Be sure and tell mom and dad hello for me.

     

    Still think you and your family, mom and dad should come to Idaho for a visit, me and your dad can take in some fishing, hunting or cutting wood.....then again we could just sit around and feel good about still being here too!! HA!

    Tim

    Thanx for invitation

    Thanx for invitation, Tim! And believe me I would love to come to Idaho!! My husband and I already put that into consideration to come one day to US. We already travelled a bit around the world and your country seems absolutely perfect for a destination in the future. Unfortunatelly my parents wouldn't travel that far. Especially because they don't speak English. But they say hello to you and your family and they think you're a true blessing which helped us in our challenging times.