Skiffin16 - Update December 2014

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Skiffin16
Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Just an update as Tim, and a few inquired...

 

First and foremost, Merry Christmas upcoming... You are family...

 

mc

I haven't been posting much as I'm still trying to recover from the Whipple in April... It's been a battle, but overall I'm pretty good...

I've lost a total of 77#, but finally stabled out..., and I'm not skinny.., 6' and 192#, so I'm actually pretty good considering.

 

I do have to go back in this Tuesday, 12/6 for another surgery to try and close my leaky hole in my stomach. The conservative approach of waiting, just isn't working.

So yet once again, please keep Shelley and myself in your prayers please...

 

I'll definitely keep you posted...

 

Also, please realize this has nothing to do with the tonsil cancer I had finishing out six years ago..., clean and clear.

So for you newbies, I was Dx STGIII Tonsil Cancer, a lymphnode, HPV+.. January 2009.

 

So you also can survive and thrive.., hang tough, and NEGU...

Never Ever Give Up...

 

and be Abi-Normal every chance you get..., bawahahahaaa..

 

John

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Comments

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #2
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    Hey John!

    Merry Christmas back at ya! Laughing  Man this Whipple was one tough surgery...sending prayers and positive thoughts that this will finally clear the leak up.  The weight loss would be wonderful if you didn't have to get it this way. 

    Keeping you and Shelley in my thoughts.  We miss you around here!

    p

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #3
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    right coast to left coast

    Skiffin,

    I am glad you are getting it fixed, I liked the “no leak” John better.

    A few more patches and you will be all better.  All better means showing up to the Abi-normal meetings…bawahahahaa (secret code).

    Heal on brother!

    Matt

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #4
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    phrannie51 said:

    Hey John!

    Merry Christmas back at ya! Laughing  Man this Whipple was one tough surgery...sending prayers and positive thoughts that this will finally clear the leak up.  The weight loss would be wonderful if you didn't have to get it this way. 

    Keeping you and Shelley in my thoughts.  We miss you around here!

    p

    John

    Good to read your post. Like you, I will be going under the knife in the near future too. PETS have been clean amd I had a pectoral flap done but the darn fistula didn't close up. I start hyperbarics again Monday to vitalize the tissue to give surgery the best chance. I lost an additonal 38 pounds since April so in Sept. had to get another feeding tube. Two hospital stays as I could not tolerate Jevity and got dehydrated. Am on Ensure Plus 5-6 cans and managed to gain 10 back.  I had been scheduled early in Nov. for surgery but my husband had a stroke, actually two of them. He has moved from rehab to skilled nursing. Continuing to make progress but it is slow. Biggest deficiency seems to be with vision and his mind wanders to the past allot. That can be very confusing for someone who has had five wives! My hope is that he will eventually be able to return home with some in-home care to help me during the day. Time will tell. My husband was the best caregiver I could have hoped for and I want to make sure I am every bit as good to him. 

    Will continue to keep you & Shelley in my prayers and ask the same of you. I keep going back to my favorite poem "Footprints in the Sand" for strength. Having lost one of my sisters and my Mother this year has taken it's toll. I know you lost your sister as well. 

    Wishes for a Merry Christmas and a much awaited Happy New Year!

    Candi

  • Guzzle
    Guzzle Member Posts: 710
    #5
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    CivilMatt said:

    right coast to left coast

    Skiffin,

    I am glad you are getting it fixed, I liked the “no leak” John better.

    A few more patches and you will be all better.  All better means showing up to the Abi-normal meetings…bawahahahaa (secret code).

    Heal on brother!

    Matt

    fishing

    You gotta get well to come out on Irish Sea mate!

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    #6
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    Like an old car

    As we get older we can be compared to an old car. We develop leaks and have to go in for repairs a bit more than ussual. Probelm is your not that old and I'm sure Shelley is thankful your still under warranty. (Just make sure she doesn't utilize the lemon law) Go in and get that leaky fuel tank repaired and get well for Christmas and the New Year. Shelley, if he doesn't pas your pre-trip inspection (Truck driver terminology) write him up and take him to the garage if it's a safety issue.

    Maybe Matt and I should come down kick the tires, full ya up with some high octane and go out for a spin.

    See ya on Fakebook my friend.

    Enjoy the day

          Jeff

  • jackflash22
    jackflash22 Member Posts: 524 Member
    #7
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    Good luck

    on your coming surgery, I hope this is the last time you have to go through such ordeals, and may the New Year bring you health and happiness 

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #8
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    Update

    john, glad to hear you appear to be on the mend and weight has stabalized.  Good luck on Tuesday and hopefully that will be successful and you'll finally have this behind you.  

     

    Goid luck,

    Keith

  • rush1958
    rush1958 Member Posts: 221 Member
    #9
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    Skiffin 16 Update

    John,

    Merry Christmas to you and your family. I'm sorry you have to go in for another surgery, but I hope this will be your final step on the road to recovery.

    Hang in there old friend. You were always an inspiration to me and to all the others that followed your thoughtful postings. You're in my thoughts and prayers.

    Rush

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #10
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    Dang it John. I think and

    Dang it John. I think and pray for you and Shelley all the time. Praying this procedure goes well and finally solves the problem.

    Grace, peace and hope to you. Merry Christmas, Debbie

  • Crazymom
    Crazymom Member Posts: 339 Member
    #11
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    toough times

    Merry Christmas... so sorry it has been so tough.  Hopefully things will be a bit brighter this new year!

     

  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #12
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    Merry Christmas....

    Merry Christmas John & Shelley. Been thinking of you guys and I'm sure you will be "patched up" in no time!

    ~C

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #13
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    cureitall66 said:

    Merry Christmas....

    Merry Christmas John & Shelley. Been thinking of you guys and I'm sure you will be "patched up" in no time!

    ~C

    Merry Christmas, John

    Good to see your post!

  • laurabeau
    laurabeau Member Posts: 40
    #14
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    Jaw Stiffness

    John I hope you faired well after your surgery. I haven't posted in a while. My husband started out with head/neck cancer. He had 4 surgeries for recurring Squamous cell. I thought that is what you had.  He had 6 weeks of intense radiation at MD. Almost two years later he is having major issues with teeth and jaw. Jaw is constricting so much he can hardly put a spoon in to feed himself. He is receiving chemo for lung cancer which complicates things. The dentist feels it is too dangerous to remove his teeth due to infection. He has done his exercises but in great deal of pain. Do you know of anyone with these issues?

    laurabeau

  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    #15
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    laurabeau said:

    Jaw Stiffness

    John I hope you faired well after your surgery. I haven't posted in a while. My husband started out with head/neck cancer. He had 4 surgeries for recurring Squamous cell. I thought that is what you had.  He had 6 weeks of intense radiation at MD. Almost two years later he is having major issues with teeth and jaw. Jaw is constricting so much he can hardly put a spoon in to feed himself. He is receiving chemo for lung cancer which complicates things. The dentist feels it is too dangerous to remove his teeth due to infection. He has done his exercises but in great deal of pain. Do you know of anyone with these issues?

    laurabeau

    Laura Beau

    Just had to reply to your post about your husbands jaw issue.  I am almost 5 years out of Base of tongue cancer with 36 rads and 6 chemo sessions.  I did great for 3+ years and then my jaw opening got very tight and I was in pain.  After about 4 months of tests, and Dr's opinions, I found out I had ORN  (Osteoradionecrosis) and after another 6 months of trying to deal with and understand it, i had surgery to replace part of my jawbone.  I am now 16 weeks out of surgery and doing quite well.  So, have someone look into ORN as a possible issue with your husband.  This surgery is a big one, but it is a solution possibly.  

     

    All the best,

    steve

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #16
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    Hi John

     

    Keeping you in prayer that all went well, when you get a chance and you are feeling up to it give us a little up-date

     

    God Bless my friend

    Tim Hondo

  • laurabeau
    laurabeau Member Posts: 40
    #17
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    hawk711 said:

    Laura Beau

    Just had to reply to your post about your husbands jaw issue.  I am almost 5 years out of Base of tongue cancer with 36 rads and 6 chemo sessions.  I did great for 3+ years and then my jaw opening got very tight and I was in pain.  After about 4 months of tests, and Dr's opinions, I found out I had ORN  (Osteoradionecrosis) and after another 6 months of trying to deal with and understand it, i had surgery to replace part of my jawbone.  I am now 16 weeks out of surgery and doing quite well.  So, have someone look into ORN as a possible issue with your husband.  This surgery is a big one, but it is a solution possibly.  

     

    All the best,

    steve

    Jaw stiffness

    Thanks so much for your reply Steve. We had an appointment with an oral surgeon today and they put him on muscle relaxers. I pray it works. This would be surgery number 6 If it doesn't.  We will do a ct if meds don't work. As bad as his teeth are due to radiation it wasn't the teeth and the jaw wasn't broken. We shall see. 

     

    Thanks again, 

    laurabeau

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #18
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    laurabeau said:

    Jaw Stiffness

    John I hope you faired well after your surgery. I haven't posted in a while. My husband started out with head/neck cancer. He had 4 surgeries for recurring Squamous cell. I thought that is what you had.  He had 6 weeks of intense radiation at MD. Almost two years later he is having major issues with teeth and jaw. Jaw is constricting so much he can hardly put a spoon in to feed himself. He is receiving chemo for lung cancer which complicates things. The dentist feels it is too dangerous to remove his teeth due to infection. He has done his exercises but in great deal of pain. Do you know of anyone with these issues?

    laurabeau

    HONDO

    He has had similar problems as you mention also....

  • laurabeau
    laurabeau Member Posts: 40
    #19
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    hawk711 said:

    Laura Beau

    Just had to reply to your post about your husbands jaw issue.  I am almost 5 years out of Base of tongue cancer with 36 rads and 6 chemo sessions.  I did great for 3+ years and then my jaw opening got very tight and I was in pain.  After about 4 months of tests, and Dr's opinions, I found out I had ORN  (Osteoradionecrosis) and after another 6 months of trying to deal with and understand it, i had surgery to replace part of my jawbone.  I am now 16 weeks out of surgery and doing quite well.  So, have someone look into ORN as a possible issue with your husband.  This surgery is a big one, but it is a solution possibly.  

     

    All the best,

    steve

    Jaw stiffness

    well, Steve after x-Rays they ruled out the tooth issues and the jaw bone is not broken. The pain got more intense and no sleep for days. He had a CT several days and as you can well imagine we were holding our breath.  The Dr. Called at 6:00. Pm to say two radiologists confirmed the CT was clear.Pain subsided yesterday(no pain meds) and later today the pain came back. Tomorrow we go back to the oral surgeon for injections into the jaw. Dr still thinks it is muscle relatEd.

    Laurabeau

  • laurabeau
    laurabeau Member Posts: 40
    #20
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    Skiffin16 said:

    HONDO

    He has had similar problems as you mention also....

    Thank you John, hope you are

    Thank you John, hope you are recovering well from your surgery.  Merry Christmas!

    laurabeau

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #21
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    Hi John

    Keeping you in prayer through the holiday’s brother, get better so we can go finshing.

     

    God Bless

    Tim Hondo

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