Scan results tomorrow - UPDATED ALL CLEAR!

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Barbaraek
Barbaraek Member Posts: 626
edited April 2016 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

This will be our third scan - we are scheduled for them every three months. The CT was done last Friday together with blood work, then we hightailed it out of town to help celebrate an uncle's 90th birthday. That was good because it kept our mind on things other than the scan results. I do feel optimistic about tomorrow, but know I will experience a sense of relief when we hear good news. If all looks clear, we'll make plans to have the portacath removed. Working at the hospital and being in a position of authority he probably could have gotten the results sooner than tomorrow...but we wanted to hear the results together from the doctor, so we waited. 

On other fronts...the ophthalmologist is pleased with the results from using the Restasis for the dry eyes side effect from radiation. Drops morning and night seem to be working well enough to lubricate the eye so that no corneal abrasions are happening. We'll continue with the Restasis for a year and then try tapering off and see what happens. Evidently the lacrimal gland and nerves can regenerate over time. And if they don't, drops morning and night are very manageable.

He still has the PEG, but we didn't take any tube feeding nutrition with us on this quick weekend trip so he had a day and a half of everything orally and did just fine. He and I both know he is using the PEG as a crutch, but he'll wean off of it eventually. Seeing for himself that he could manage to do without it for 48 hours was a good first step.     

Barbara

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  • MrsBD
    MrsBD Member Posts: 615 Member
    #2
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    Waiting

    We are all waiting to hear the good news with you! I'll say an extra prayer for you both.

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
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    WHOO HOO!!!

    Wonderful news....the kind I LOVE to hear!!  Every day brings you and he closer to your new normal.  If he did fine for 48 hours, then he'll be feeling the want, to get it taken out.  I think we get fearful with what if's....and hang on to it like a back up plan.

    p

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #4
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    That is wonderful news..........

    That sounds like a threepeat. Just great on the scan, and a solution for the dry eyes. Hopefully, it will start producing on its own. Also being able to eat has to really feel great.

    My wife severed the sciatic nerve in her leg and was numb from the knee down. This was when she was about 34. She kept exercising and the nerve rerouted the doctors said but didn't know how it did it in about 4 - 5 years. Thet said she might get the feeling by the time she was 70+. It was wonderful news but now she had pain for a year or so. Mostly just getting used to having feeling in it. Ever so often I would stick her leg to see if she had any feeling, but she didn't. She asked me to do that, I was not just being mean.

    Your husband has very good odds to get the eyes producing again. Thanks for a wonderful update. Always good to hear this news. Still in my thoughts and prayers.

    Bill

  • the_wife
    the_wife Member Posts: 184
    #5
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    Yay

    Congratulations!!! That's wonderful!!!!!! 

    Wishing you nothing but blue skies....from now on. Cool

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
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    Hi Barbara

    I will never be able to eat by my mouth again until Jesus comes back to give me healing for all the radiation damage. And I have become totally dependent on Mrs. Piggy for every meal for the last 4 years. What I found out now that I did not know was that I am now unable to chew anything, first my jaw will not open wide enough, second my teeth hurts like hell if I try to chew anything. So please keep him chewing and keep his teeth strong.

     

    Tim

  • Barbaraek
    Barbaraek Member Posts: 626
    #7
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    Hondo said:

    Hi Barbara

    I will never be able to eat by my mouth again until Jesus comes back to give me healing for all the radiation damage. And I have become totally dependent on Mrs. Piggy for every meal for the last 4 years. What I found out now that I did not know was that I am now unable to chew anything, first my jaw will not open wide enough, second my teeth hurts like hell if I try to chew anything. So please keep him chewing and keep his teeth strong.

     

    Tim

    You are spot on Tim

    The doctor gave him jaw stretching exercises to do and wanted to pull the PEG today but we're deferring to what the surgeon who will be removing the gall bladder wants to do. We see him tomorrow. With neck flexibility and jaw flexibility it seems like you need to stay on top of it and if you don't lose it you lose it.

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #8
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    Good for both of you!

     

    Barbara,

     

    The answer is clear.

     

    Matt

     

    e

     

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member
    edited May 2016 #9
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    Yeah - NED

    always a big woohoo!

  • kdot2003
    kdot2003 Member Posts: 143
    edited May 2016 #10
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    awesome!!!!!

    THat is so awesome!!!!

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