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Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for October 2012

Time to give volunteering a shot.
Well after 37 years of working at one location (I retired shortly after I was dx) I felt like I was going to the 1st day of school when I went into our local hospital today to see about being a volunteer. I had filled out a request over the internet and got a call from them to come in. I went in this morning, the Hospital…
Three steps forward, one back
on the steps forward side... The PET scan shows great improvement and only 1 spot that was hot. The original approach was to wait and watch, but the tumor board recommended removal of the nodes Step 2, PEG tube came out Monday the 15th! It is SO NICE to be able to sleep on my stomach and not have to shower with 20 or so…
Cautious optimism
I have had double vision since September, headaches have been added to the mix also. I needed to stop working because I am in pain and vision problems. First MRI of brain showed nothing (there is brain matter!) second MRI of orbit showed scar tissue. Cancer surgeon thought he saw a mass not scar tissue, sent to…
The Bus Ride....
Hi All, Well we just completed week 2 today! We've been trying to prepare for the BUS RIDE. We started out in the front seat....we have now moved toward the middle with some symptoms starting to show up.(sores in mouth, sore throat, dry mouth, lack of taste and saliva)But, we are getting by. We know we will be to the back…
My friend
A very good friend of mine was recently diagnosed with scchn. He is in the process of getting opinions but it appears he will need a modified neck dissection and a mandibulectomy followed by radiation sometime early next month. I know some in the group have been through this but I don't recall who they are. He is curious…
one week...
Well, tomorrow marks the completion of our first week of chemo and radiation. We saw the Rad doc today and oncology doc. Everything ok, except he lost 5 lbs in 2 days and is dehydrated ( his bp was low). He is eating but just not alot. Drinking but not alot. He is trying and that's all I can ask. I definitely know that I…
Pain after Surgery for Tongue Cancer
Hello, I have been diagnosed with tongue cancer three times. The first time was a stage 4 and I chose to have chemo and radiation rather than lose 3/4 of my tongue. That was in 2008. I wonder if I made a mistake. However, it is too late to have regrets. In the summer of 2011 I was diagnosed again with cancer under my…
Some Hope...
Hi all! Yesterday I received a message from the other Oncologist that we were planing on working with. He called to say that they found a positive match with the cell structure of my original tumor. Also they have a drug on trial right now that has been showing great results. Anyway the trial drug is called GDC-0980. These…
So many appointments
Today has been a busy day. We had a 9:20 with ENT, 10:20 with chemotherapy oncologist, 1:00 mapping/mask making; 2:30 barium swallow. My husband was exhausted when we got home. We were supposed to have the barium swallow on the 30th, but the voice/swallow therapist was very concerned with David's last swallow test and…
Scan Results
Hubby got the official word today on his first post tx PET scan -- all clear!! He had the scan at 7 am yesterday and we met with the ENT at 930. ENT had already reviewed the scan of the cancerous area -- left tonsil and three lymph nodes -- and told us nothing lit up and it was clear. He deferred to the radiologist for a…
Still naseauted part 2
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been having pretty severe naseau since Tuesday the 9th, and ended up in the hospital Sunday evening (13th), through Tuesday afternoon. The plan was to add promethazine suppositories to my anti naseau routine, scopalamine patches for the the days after chemo., and a feeding pump to…
Nick770?
Has anyone heard from Nick recently? I thought he was supposed to have a biopsy a while ago and I am wondering how he is doing. Myka
Flouride
Ok my question of the day: Before my husband started radiation he was seen by a dentist and had flouride trays made. He never gave him any flouride though. So, 1. When do you start using flouride. Are you supposed to be using it while getting radiation or do you start when finished with treatment. 2. Where do you get the…
Teeth
I went to the Dentist today for a cleaning, and mentioned that I'd noticed part of a problem tooth appeared to be gone. Yep- another Crown at $957 is in the works! And they're talking about the need for 3 more Crowns! Yikes! I did some figuring awhile back, and by my count this next Crown is gonna put me up to the $8-9K…
Perspective
Today my husband went for IV fluid replacement before he had his radiation treatment. He had Cisplatin on Friday and so they gave him IV fluids yesterday and today. While we were getting the fluids, a young girl , probably mid twenties came in for chemo. She looked so ill and I know from the conversation she had on the…
surgery on Thursday - not cancer
On Thursday I am having my knee scoped (torn cartlidge) and because of my problems with pneumonia they have decided to use a nerve block vs general anesthesia. I know this is probably best but I really don't want to be awake while they are working on me. Bad news is as soon as I heal from this they are going to do rotator…
A little saying to help us along...
I have this posted on my computer and thought I would share: "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." I look at it MANY times a day...hope it helps. Lynda
New Side Effect of Rads????
Hey Kids, Had an appointment with OnocMan today (2 1/2 year post-tx petscan was yesterday). He asked me "So when did you break your back?" My answer - HUH! Appears the tech who did the petscan indicated that T7 was fractured. No accidents, no injuries and best of all no pain from this. Have no idea what it's from. Onco…
All you mouth breathers....
Ya know when I had the horrible mouth sores during the 5FU treatment...the most painful part of any day was the beginning, when I woke up after having breathed thru my mouth all night. Everything that was wet stung horribly in the morning, and I really needed to get my mouth wet...On the third round of 5FU my husband…
My Mom's PET Scan Results Came in Today
So my mom had her PET Scan today and thankfully was able to get the results today too. This was her first scan post-treatment. The good news: The mass that was in her neck is completely gone! She does still have a lot of mucus in her system as a result of the radition treatment she had. Then I don't know what to think kind…
I go back to work tonight at midnight.....
YIKES!! Part of me is excited to get back into the grind...part of me is wondering if I can pull off shift work again. This is a two tierd shift...we work 4 to midnight for 6 days, get two days off, then go to midnight to 8 for 6 days, with two days off (which really only adds up to a day and a half off)..I'm going to…
Looking for hope
Today was a sad day for me, I had bad news after bad news. After six weeks after treatment my husband had a scan and it show it's has return, the drs for radiology and chemo told me that they were sorry but no more radiation can be given and the chemo told me they can give more. The ENT will see us tomorrow . I feel so…
And then there was 4
A few weeks ago I posted 3 down 1 to go, well we saw the ENT today, and Im blessed to get an all clear by the ENT in our Team of Onc, Rad, and Ent. she did the say AHHH review and felt the neck for lymphs and the tube down the nose scope, some swelling but no cancer. I asked about a PET scan since I only had a CT scan and…
Lymphedema
I don't know if any of you have delt with this, but my husband had cancer way in the back of his tongue. He had that removed and a mass behind his ear on the right side, his jugular, his tonsils, a salavary gland, the nerve in his neck ( now he can't raise his arm but so far)(all on the right side), and they cut him from…
Help me.. Am I going crazy????
I am a caregiver for my husband and he is a little over a year out. He still has a horrible sore throat, I was concerned and pushed up his appointment. Scope all clear. The other day he had severe leg pain, and he makes an appointment with his Rheumatologist, she thinks it's a blood clot and send him for an ultrasound.…
Salivary Gland Cancer, Stage 4
My husband has been diagnosed with Salivary Gland Cancer, Stage 4. This cancer is very rare and the fact it spread to the lungs is even more rare. Is there anyone out there with this kind of cancer? Is so, how are you doing? Is there a chemo treatment that is working? Are you part of a clinical trial? My husband will be…
Is this ok
My husband received first cisplatin and radiation on Friday. Today he had some nausea so gave him compazine and earlier today gave him an Ativan for unreleived nausea. Long story short, he ate a little and basically has been sound asleep since 4pm and it's now 1030 at night. He literally has not even moved , that's how…
Does chemo alone kill the cancer cells?
Hey all..just a quick question if I may. Since I have seen on here and also read in the past that many times you can have radiation but not always in the same place or depending on the strength... Does chemo alone kill cancer cells / tumors? I would think it does / can ..and I know everybody is different ..but can you give…
A confession.........I went to a witch doctor...
...well, not a witch doctor, an herbalogist...but my mom always called him the witch doctor when she went to him. She had laryngeal cancer, and went to him before she started radiation...her skin never even got red during her 30 treatments. I think the reason I decided to do this is this: Everybody talks about the "after…
Still naseauted
Had cisplatin on Tue, been on my anti naseau meds, but still struggling with naseau today, is this radiation or chemo, making me sick, god I hate naseau ..... Tube feelings suck when you don't feel good. Jim

Head and Neck Cancer

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