Introduction - Stage 1 Vocal cord cancer, total newbie

Welcome

Donka,

like you, I am relatively new to this forum yet I have already made so many, wonderful and supportive connections. I'm glad you found this place of support. 

I go in next week for my simulation. The week after, I start treatment. As of this moment, I am not really anxious but that maybe subject to change! Next week is when I get my mask made. Then, I go inpatient for 5 days with chemo and daily rad treatment. 12 week program. Some in and some out patient. 

I know this is all scary and a lot to take in. I have a good understanding what to expect, but the caveat is everyone is different. So despite my understanding of what to expect, I really don't know how the treatment will effect me. The advice I will suggest is what i am doing...take it one day at a time, even one minute at a time if that's what it takes. 

i'm told hydration is very important. My goal is to keep eating and swallowing. 

Again, there are so many supportive people here. I wish I could give them one giant collective hug! If you have concerns or questions, start a post and before you know it, you will see just how many people care and will offer their support. 

I wish you the very best. Stay strong. You can and will make it through it. This is a place where you will find many who have gone before us!

BunnyMom

WELCOME

Donka,

Welcome to the H&N forum, where almost all of us wore a mask and if that is your mask you have a very nice profile.

I never enjoyed “mask time” very much, but with 1 Lorazapam and a few rock n’ roll tunes I found it to be interesting.  My mask had eye holes to watch the line-up lasers.

The first few  weeks are easy and the last few doable (to be nice).  You never know how easy or hard your body will react to treatments.  Let’s hope it is smooth sailing for you.

Drink plenty of water and keep swallowing, it is important.

Peace,

Matt

Goyca said:

hello  donka .. welcome. i

hello  donka .. welcome. i wisj u didnt have to deal with this stupid disease. But now that u r here, u r welcome, i wish u all the luck in the radiations.

I cant give u any advice since i haven't started radiation yet, but my thoughts are with u.. Best of luck and stay strong.

 

 

Goyca.

Mask

Donka, I really didn't find it as bad as I thought. A couple of songs on the radio and its over. You can breathe freely through the the mask. Good luck. G.

Hi Donka

 

Welcome to CSN H&N sorry to see you have this crap but glad to have you here with us. I still have both of my mask I keep them to remind me of the past so my putlook of tomorrow always looks better.

 

Hondo

donka said:

Thanks everyone!

Thank you everyone, I will keep you posted on my progress.  Oops, in my original post I said radiation starts Monday, it starts in 2 Mondays, June 2nd.

Bunnymom, if I could do the mask making and simulation, you can too!  The radiation therapists were really great and talked to me almost the whole time, and when they weren't talking I just went to my 'happy place' and imagined I was lying on a beach in the tropics waiting for a server to come by so I could order a cerveza   They assured me the mask making and CT scan both took longer than my treatments would, and I did both in one day.  woohoo!  I actually found the mask making part to be kind of fascinating and sort of just pretended I was getting a spa treatment facial...it's warm and they are massaging your face so it's not a huge stretch.

Thanks again all, I can see I was lucky to have found you all.

Good attitude!

You are showing good signs of having a great atttitude and some positive coping strategies in hand.  Keep that up and be as involved in your treatments as  you can--don't be a victim!

Mike

 

KB56 said:

Radiation

Donka, the mask looks great!    I got one just like it in my garage as the day of your last treatment they will give it to you to take home.   I remember getting fitted and it was a wierd feeling as they were making it.   They asked "are you claustrophobic?  No not me, why?".... When they snap the mask in place for the treatment it's a bit tight but honestly you do get used to it.

I never had to take anythign to relax before mine but I would always go somewhere in my mind as I was getting the treatment.  I would think about great times with my family, great times with my wife, vacations, or whatever and really put myself somewhere else.   It is really a pretty quick process and they techs operating the equipment will get you unsnapped from the machine as quick as possible.   you will get to know the noises of the machine so you will know how much time you have left by the noises and how many passes the machine has done.  

Just take a deep breath, take a sip of water, and try to relax before you get snapped down.  There is no pain at all so just calm yourself as much as you can, and take a little journey in your mind and before you know it you'll hear to door opening and the techs coming in to unsnap you from the table.   Remember, no lotions or anything on your face/neck before your treatment but afterwards you'll want lotions or something on it.  My radiation oncologist always had a bowl of free samples of Aquaphor lotions so I would grab some while i was there and it worked pretty good at first.   They'll perscribe some stuff as you get further along that will help as well.

 

Good luck!  I know you dread getting started but in order to get this behind you, you have to take that first step/first treatment.   Before you knw it you'll have one treatment done, then one week, and then like Guzzle, you'll be in your 5th week with only 1 or 2 to do.

 

Best of luck,

Keith

Thanks Keith

Donka, just finished week 5. One and a half weeks left. Still eating and had Shepards Pie for lunch. As the good advice here will direct you keep eating keep drinking and ask for pain meds if you need them especially to assist with eating. It will become a routine and be coming to an end before you know it. Let me know if I can help. G.

 

Guzzle said:

Thanks Keith

Donka, just finished week 5. One and a half weeks left. Still eating and had Shepards Pie for lunch. As the good advice here will direct you keep eating keep drinking and ask for pain meds if you need them especially to assist with eating. It will become a routine and be coming to an end before you know it. Let me know if I can help. G.

 

Week 5 in the books!

Guzzle, your abiltiy to continue to eat amazes me!   They must build them big and strong in the UK but if you grew up eating curry what else could you expect!

 

Here's to 6 weeks being in the books before you know it... Then the last and final one and then the body can start repairing itself.

 

Good luck my friend and I hope you continue to do as well as you have up to this point,

Keith

Welcome Donka!

I just want to reinterate that as you go through treatment, come here and ask anything/everything you're puzzled about, nervous about, or curious about.....your questions will be answered! 

There are many people who have traveled this road and done with treatment......and a few, like you, who are just starting.....it's nice to hold hands with your "bus-mates", as you all go through treatment.....The best part about this forum, is that what works for one might not work for another.....but with all the answers lined up, you'll be able to try different things to help you get through treatment.  This forum is the bomb when it comes to information!!  

I used Lorazapam, like Matt..... during rads.....closed my eyes when the mask went on.....counted 5 songs, and it was over.

p