Hit the Road Jack!.........

fishmanpa
fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
edited August 2013 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi Folks,

Finally got in a little while ago. 

The preliminary "OFFICIAL" good news is I'm.....  
Mr Clean

The final reads won't be available until tomorrow but the PET department told my RO they saw nothing that raised any red flags and that it looked good to them. My scope looked great overall.

Swallow study went well and I'm where they expect me to be at this point. There's still some swelling of my throat and tongue as well as my vocal chords which explains why my singing voice isn't back yet. 

PEG is gone!

We discussed weaning me off the meds. Easy enough plan... I'm only taking 5mg of oxy twice a day and every once in a while a third dose. Start this week and stick to two doses for the next two weeks, then cut that in half for the following two weeks and then to once a day and then go off, only taking one if really needed. Start taking over the counter pain relievers (ibuprofen 400-600mg) for body ache. 

So overall a good day.

What I find unusual is that I asked about future scans and none are planned. I'll be scoped every three months for the next two years but unless they see something unusual or I develop symptoms that warrant it, they won't be doing another PET. When I asked why, they said they've found that it results in too many unnecessary procedures. They may order a yearly CAT scan but that's about it. They're very confident they erdicated the beast from me and I'll take that anyday!

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T"

 

 

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Comments

  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    Great News

    T,

     This is wonderful news and I'm so happy for you. Now, continue on with this business of "living". You have never strayed far from it anyway, with your strength and attitude.

    Luv,

    Wolfen

  • peggylulu
    peggylulu Member Posts: 375
    "and don't come back no more , no more"

    Wow great news . Doesn't get better than that !!! I know how relieved you must feel . Makes sence about your voice too , just needs more time after all it hasn't really been that long . Peg is gone too, is so good that you can eat enough already . Now get on with your new normal life and have some fun !!!

  • Ron Silver
    Ron Silver Member Posts: 94
    peggylulu said:

    "and don't come back no more , no more"

    Wow great news . Doesn't get better than that !!! I know how relieved you must feel . Makes sence about your voice too , just needs more time after all it hasn't really been that long . Peg is gone too, is so good that you can eat enough already . Now get on with your new normal life and have some fun !!!

    Wow.  No more scans planned!

    Wow.  No more scans planned!  My 1st post tx pet is coming up in 3 weeks.  Can I borrow your results?

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    Ok....WHOO HOO!!! :)

    Mr. Clean, Mr. Clean, Mr. Clean!! 

    Guess I'll follow your lead......I tend to get jealous when everybody ELSE is getting PET scans, and my Onc won't give me one....maybe this is a great sign, huh?  I've gotten one PET 3 months after treatment (Nov. '12').....a CT in March.....and have another CT coming the end of this month.  They don't even do my chest....

    They do things differently everywhere, tho, I guess.....I get scoped every 2 months and that will go on for the next year.  My ENT did tell me, tho.....that HE would see something before a scan would....so that makes me happy that I can see him every other month...I get a nice wave of relief whenever I go see him....Laughing....doesn't stave off the scanxiety, tho....I could see him on a Monday, get a scan on Weds, and still be chewing my nails.

    By tomorrow at this time, you're going to be walking on cloud nine.....something about the first NED......well.....ALL NEDS......LOL....drop to your knees kind of relief.

    p

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Mr. Clean...

    Damn, I thought I was seeing a Mr. Clean commercial....

    Oh wait, I am seeing...Mr. Clean....

    Awesome,

    JG

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    Doing the happy dance and

    Doing the happy dance and praising God for your great results. Love the Picture! You do look like Mr Clean:)  Debbie

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    Skiffin16 said:

    Mr. Clean...

    Damn, I thought I was seeing a Mr. Clean commercial....

    Oh wait, I am seeing...Mr. Clean....

    Awesome,

    JG

    Mr. Clean

    John,

    That was Halloween, 2005. Easy costume for me ~lol~ Maybe now I can get back to the gym and put some muscle back on!

    "T"

  • Sunshine60
    Sunshine60 Member Posts: 81
    Yay!!!! A long but GREAT day!!!

    We were also told at our last appt that unless something warrants it, there will be no Pet scan or CT- only scopes every 3 months over the next year And 6 months after that through the next 5 yrs. Our oncologist said it is for several reasons: the tests add more radiation on top of what has already been done; the tests are expensive; the tests can often show false positives especially after radiation treatments.   I suspect it has a lot to do more with insurance companies.....and this is a Cancer Center. Never the less, my husband was told he is in remission at this point and both of us have slept through the night over the past week- with no help from meds!   :).  

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    Mr. Clean, I like that.

    Hi “T”,

    Good report, don’t fret about future scans, they will watch you closely and if warranted, you will get a scan.

    Enjoy the NED and the PEG free lifestyle.

    Matt

  • janetluvsron
    janetluvsron Member Posts: 116
    great news to

    great news to hear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     

    congrats T, bet you sleep great tonight.

     

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    WOOHOO!!!!

    That is such GREAT news!!

     

    How was losing your Peggy?  Was it a balloon?  Isn't it a great feeling for it to be gone?

     

    I'm so happy to hear all your good news.  Love the Mr. Clean pic, that's awesome!

  • alligatorpointer
    alligatorpointer Member Posts: 131
    Awesome news and great pic !

    Love the expression on your face Laughing !   You did a mighty fine job of sending that rascal Jack runnin' down the road... may he never come back.    

  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    I'm jealous

    Dude, so jealous of your world class forearms. You look awesome brother!!!

    i want to party with you!!

    keep kickin the beasts ****!!

    Best

    Mike

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member
    congrats!

    So glad to hear the great news and trilled for you. Must be a huge weight lifted off, just the waiting and unknowing. Sounds like a lot was accomplished in one day up there. Say bye bye to PEGgy for me. LOL don

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

    congrats!

    So glad to hear the great news and trilled for you. Must be a huge weight lifted off, just the waiting and unknowing. Sounds like a lot was accomplished in one day up there. Say bye bye to PEGgy for me. LOL don

    Able to drop in real quick and what do I see ???

    Mr. Clean!!!  Great and wonderful news T ...very happy for you.

     

    Tim

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    It's a bird ....it's a plane

    It's mister Clean. I knew there was something to that last week when I called you that. I also had a hunch you would be clean and green. Wait if you were green that would make you the Jolly Green Giant.

    Congrats my friend. I will never forget getting the results of my first scan. You will come down from cloud nine in a few days but until then enjoy your stay and the NED high. A much better high than the oxy one.

    Enjoy the day and heal on

          Jeff

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member

    WOOHOO!!!!

    That is such GREAT news!!

     

    How was losing your Peggy?  Was it a balloon?  Isn't it a great feeling for it to be gone?

     

    I'm so happy to hear all your good news.  Love the Mr. Clean pic, that's awesome!

    Piece of Cake....

    Well almost ~lol~ 

    No pain at all. It was the balloon. It slipped out with a little gurgle and they put a bandage over it. However, I was told not to eat anything the rest of the day because it could come out the hole. I thought of you and your post Peggy meal and the thought of my meal leaking out into my lap wasn't appealing! I could have liquids though. 

    I woke up this morning and pulled off the bandage. All is good :)

    "T"

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    fishmanpa said:

    Piece of Cake....

    Well almost ~lol~ 

    No pain at all. It was the balloon. It slipped out with a little gurgle and they put a bandage over it. However, I was told not to eat anything the rest of the day because it could come out the hole. I thought of you and your post Peggy meal and the thought of my meal leaking out into my lap wasn't appealing! I could have liquids though. 

    I woke up this morning and pulled off the bandage. All is good :)

    "T"

    OOPS!!

    They didn't tell me not to eat, so this southern girl had a Bojangles biscuit less than an hour after evicting Peggy! LOL  Glad it didn't come spilling out :)  

     

    So glad it was the balloon and you had an easy time of it! 

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member

    I'm jealous

    Dude, so jealous of your world class forearms. You look awesome brother!!!

    i want to party with you!!

    keep kickin the beasts ****!!

    Best

    Mike

    I wish!

    Mike,

    They're more like 3rd class forearms now! ~lol~ That pic was taken in '05. I had a 32" waist and weighed in at 225lbs @ 5'10". Now? Same waist size and weigh in at 167! I lost 65lbs due to Jack, most of it muscle. I got the all clear to work out so I'll be checking out the gyms in the area. Time to put some weight back on! 

    "T"

     

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member

    OOPS!!

    They didn't tell me not to eat, so this southern girl had a Bojangles biscuit less than an hour after evicting Peggy! LOL  Glad it didn't come spilling out :)  

     

    So glad it was the balloon and you had an easy time of it! 

    The best part....

    When my Rad Onc came in, he had his smart phone out and wanted to show me some good news. On the screen was a text from my SLP that said the PEG could come out! The best part about getting the PEG out was that Mysha, one of my Rad Oncology Nurses had to take it out. She's a sweetheart and one tough cookie that gave me a hard time about eating during my treatment. She's the one that told me I either got the PEG before I went home or be admitted and stay another two weeks. So it was poetic justice that she had to take it out. She asked me if I had eaten. Fortunately, all I had was water and an Ensure as I couldn't eat before the PET scan. My other Rad Nurse was busting on her, reminding her of the guy who had scrambled eggs before his was pulled. She told me that whatever was in my stomach might come shooting out when she pulled it. The look on her face was priceless! Fortunately, like I said, it was a little gurgle and that was it. Just a tiny spot on the guaze when I took the bandage off this morning. 

    "T"