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Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for April 2013

Radiation next
I am 3 weeks out from my surgery and preparing to move ahead with radiation treatment. I met with my surgeon, a Mayo Clinic radiation oncologist, and a Minneapolis radiation oncologist this week to plan my radiation treatment. I will be fitted for the mask on Monday and most likely will start treatments a week from Monday…
Trach out
Haven't been on here for a while,finally after 2 years I got my trach out on 2-13-13, the day before Valentines Day, I prayed about it everyday, went through the worst gruelsome rads and chemo and got to the end of the tunnell, I'm blessed. bjw1955
I HAVE A PLAN B
I spoke with my Nurse Coordinator earlier today, and it looks like I will have to come off the clinical trial I have been on since early September due to two of my lymph nodes in my Mediastynum have grown greater then 20%. I do not have any new growth, which I guess is good, but hearing that my 24 plus week of good luck…
Surgery and neck dissection complete, 36 rads to start in 3 wks
Hi all, its me "first IDC now SCC. Well I had my surgery on my lower lip and chin with neck dissection on Wed for the oral SCC. I will have 36 rad treatments when I am healed, the rad onc said in about three wks. When he was explaining the head and neck mold and mask fitting I thought my husband was going to pass out.... I…
Need some encouragement
Hello all! I am new to this, so I am not really sure what to do. I am beyond thankful to have found this site. Just reading all of the posts give me great comfort. So yesterday my dad went to the hospital to get a golf ball size lump on his neck checked out. The results of a biopsy came back to be SCC. It is still very…
Weekly Chemo Visit
Had my weekly trip to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), my home away from home. Two things: Creatinine: My creatinine level was high. Creatinine is a kidney tests and the docs thought I was dehydrated. So I got hours of fluids IV. (Will pee every hour all night.) I can't think that I drank that much less fluids.…
Hearing loss and speech changes
Hey Guys, I just want to ask, have any of you lost hearing from Cisplatin and/or rads? If so, did the quality of your voice change? I lost large portion of my hearing and understanding of certain letters in 2010, 10 yrs post cancer, it was probably going for sometime but did not require hearing aids till that point. I…
everything is still stable !
Hey everyone, Contacted the Masonic, everything is fine. They got a bit excited with my tumor profile, hasn't changed anything. I had given the students (being a teaching hospital I attend) permission to use any and all info. about me to study. Somehow when they pulled my charts and info., it made it seem as if there was…
New Clinical Trial Finder - a new website to bookmark and use if needed
This article (published today) has links to a new website set up to help those seeking the latest clinical trials more easily find and make contact with the trials that are a match for a patient's specific cancer. You will have to copy/paste the url since I do not know how to embed it (perhaps a forum member can make it…
Need some more prayers and opinions
Dad is home from rehab and doing pretty good. He needs 24/7 care so it is hard since it is only mom and I. Home health has yet to be useful. Dad will see his oncologist on the 30th, when he was in rehab they found two spots on his lung. Can not remember where. They said his lungs sound terrible. Do you think the oncologist…
Dental work
I have seen a lot of threads about how dental work after Rads can cause problems such as slow healing or infections. Just wondering if anyone has had dental work done after treatment without going through hyperbaric(sp?) oxygen treatments. My dentist wants to do some minor work that will mostly involve gum, but could also…
Asking for Prayers
Asking for prayers for tomorrows PET scan . I had a Ct scan a month ago and was told it was clear, then I found a lump on the top of my shoulder just above my colar bone last week so they took another look and there is "something " there so we are heading to San Antonio tomorrow for a PET scan . I will be having surgery no…
Corn-Fused...~NED
OK, I'm totally cornfused... First, Jeff is NED (twice...a minute apart), then Mike says he is NED, and then to top it off..., Dan says he is NED.... Are you guys all related, is this NED, and my other two brothers, NED and NED.... You guys aren't related to George Foreman in any way are you, LOL... Either way...ummmm,…
Dan is NED!!!!
Dan just went to the Radiology Department and picked up a copy of the written results, the doctors office is still looking for it. But the results are NED! "NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE!" We will be celebrating tonight! Love, A very happy couple, Kari & Dan
NED after 4 years!
I got the word yesterday that my recent CT scan showed NED! It's been a very long and rough ride, but those of you who are in the "Battle zone" right now should know that this is a winnable fight for a large majority of HNC patients and their caregivers. The new-normal of cancer survival is well worth the fight. While I…
Beyond Tired & Discouraged
Just a quick update to let you know my hubby is progressing very slowly. He still can't stand alone. He was given an Ambien for sleep last night and the effect was the same as before, semi-concious and hallucinating all day, but without the fever & infection. NO MORE Ambien. The Ascites is back, so he's getting an…
Jeff is NED!!
Had PET scan Monday and saw Rad doc yesterday got the all "CLEAR" Thank God. We go back in 4 months. We see ENT tomorrow and chemo doc next week. I think it's overkill to see everyone (copays stink) but i guess better be safe than sorry. Thank you everyone for helping us through this. I will definity pay it fowards. Sue
Jeff is NED!!
Had PET scan Monday and saw Rad doc yesterday got the all "CLEAR" Thank God. We go back in 4 months. We see ENT tomorrow and chemo doc next week. I think it's overkill to see everyone (copays stink) but i guess better be safe than sorry. Thank you everyone for helping us through this. I will definity pay it fowards. Sue
Side Effect Strange Chill or Ripple Feeling side of Head and Back of Thigh
I am 4 months from last chemo and radiation. Neck cancer unknown primary, full treatment. I have a strange chill like effect that is mostly in the morning at the right side of my head and face. At times it also is in the back of my thighs. It is not pain, but more a ripple or as when you have a chill that radiates, but not…
Skype ~ FaceTime
I just wanted to throw this out there for those of you that are pretty up to speed communication and computer wise... With technology and data speeds pretty good these days, communication is pretty great. Shelley (living in Florida), and her cousin (Melissa, living in Massachusetts), have Skype Saturdays..., cooking,…
Redundant Tissue in Oral Cavity after TORS surgery of SCC-II of tonsil resulting in problems chewing
My wife had a successful removal of her cancerous tonsil with good negative margins and a clear follow-up Pet/CT Scan recently. She still cannot eat normally however due to a ridge of excess ("redundant tissue") that is on the inside of her mouth interferring with her bite (if she tries to chew she chews on the tissue).…
Hosting Vivian
People keep telling me I need to go on a trip and get away from all the drama and sadness I feel here in Kentucky. I have went through my list of potential companions and there is not one that fits this time in my life. My friends/family in general don't get me. They have never had this experience and they get very…
Skiffin16...... A Pic of my fishing boat!
With gas prices like they are I have to find ways to cut corners and save. So, I will be heading to Florida to do some fishing with ya....sorry there won't be room for both of us in my boat. Could I just troll along beside you?
Today's scans not good
I guess the wheels are starting to fall off the wagon. I have not yet spoke with my Oncologist, but the read on my scan is "progression of disease." I have significant growth of the tumors in my Mediastynum, and the pneumonia they said I had 6 weeks earlier is gone. I am a "mental wreck" as this is a huge blow to handle…
Two Questions
Halfway thru week 5 of 7 weeks of chemo and rad. Lost 15 lbs even with peg. Neuropathy-told not getting worse so just finish out treatement. Huge nausea issues. swallowing is nearly non existance. Majic mouthwasher causes me to vomit-mouthsores. First, any "supplements" to help with the neuropathy. I ask and was told none…
First Chemo and Rad yesterday
Rob had his first chemo (carboplatin and taxol) followed by his first rad. So far so good, no side effects from the chemo and feels pretty good. They filled him up with about 5 different things before chemo (Emend, Aloxi, dexamethasone, benadryl and pepcid). Made him a little sleepy but good. Radiation okay, he broke out…
Just when you thought it was safe to walk in the woods
Thrush! Went in for my weekly checkup today and was complaining that my throat was sore and that my mouth felt really like cotton. Not much of a white tongue but when he looked down my throat, there it was lurking. Never crossed my mind that it would come up again this far post treatment (I'm 10 weeks). He told me it could…
Miracle Fruit Tablets to restore taste, stimulate saliva
Hi, everyone. "T" posted information about miracle fruit tablets at the end of a post on another topic so I thought I would re-post his information here so that others would become aware of it. Here is what T said (thanks, T): A tip/hint I'll confidently pass on as I've personally seen it's effectiveness. When I started to…
DId i say scrambled EGGS?
You bet I did with a side of custard! Don't forget 16oz of water! I just couldn't wait to share with my CSN my Great news. I feel like I just went out to breakfast with my speech therapist. This is just one of those things we say are different after cancer...who woulda thought I would smile from ear to ear over eating a…
hick-up w/pathology 3 mo's out
Some things that make you go hunh ? Received an e-mail from my ENT office today for results on labs. I thought what ? As I haven't had anything done since last Dec. So I opened it up, and found out they had re-done my path on that beniegn tumor that was removed in the right lung. They had received that tumor profile I had…

Head and Neck Cancer

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