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Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for May 2013

Pre-Radiation Dental Issues
Bunch of Questions... Brother slated to started radiation in 1.5 weeks to right and left side of head post left parotidectomy and neck dissection. Dental screening yesterday: 2 cracked teeth (they will work on and crown later)...and 3 impacted (no infection) widom teeth and one that erupted. He will be contacting rad onc…
Lucky to be a mom
I am so grateful to be alive. I hope you'll don't mind my bragging. My son is a Senior in High School and we went to the athletic awards ceremony last week. In his 4 years of high school he has been a varsity player in 3 sports. been an All District player in 3 sports, been an All State player in Football and was awarded…
Trouble breathing in neck area
My husband had squamous cell carcinoma of the neck, which had metasize with no primary. He has been done with all treatments since February 2013. However, he is now having a hard time breathing it is as if his airway has narrowed due to radiation. The lung doctor says lungs are fine but last Tuesday he went into…
Fighting Back Against 'Dry Mouth' .
Hello everyone. I was wondering what those of you suffering with dry mouth are doing about it. ???? Pain pills and 'majic mouthwash' are doing very little for me. It is very hard for me to believe that there is not some sort of lozenge on the market that would give some relief. I know there is not a majic bullet but there…
Oh Baby!
For those of you that remember, my husband and I decided we wanted to expand our family about 6 minths ago. Just wanted to share that I am pregnant! We saw tye baby on u/s today & saw a strong fast heartbeat. We seriously couldn't be more thrilled. My onc has suspended all svans until after baby comes. I know its not the…
*** CSN H&N Contact List ~ Update ***
OK, all of you that have sent me info so far, please let me know your preferred methods of contact and in which preference order...and any restrictions, time, personal calls, texts, cell phone calls, etc... Home Phone Number Cell Phone Number E-Mail CSN PM Text FaceTime Skype FaceBook and any other mode I have not…
8 weeks post treatment
Hi all my appologies for it being so long since I've posted! It's been a rough 8 weeks. My second week out of treatment I ended up in the hospital for 5 days due to malnutrition and a reaction to one of the drugs I was on. A week later I was back in the hospital for 6 days for failure to thrive ( a fancy way to say that I…
Happy Third Anniversary to Me!
THREE YEARS TODAY. And it's been SOOOOO worth it! Always GRATEFUL to be here! Deb
Happy Mothers Day all
I would like to wish all you mothers out there a Happy Mothers Day! Even all the men who are a bunch of mothers. I hope that we may be able to put our issues aside for a day and give thanks to the most important people in the world who brought us into this world. And if your mom is not with us today take a moment to…
TREATMENT UPDATE
A very happy Mothers Day to all of tithe moms out there. My last post regarding my treatment I think I got the Meds confusedrandom actually going to receive Taxotere one e every 3 weeks. I was randomized into the clinical trial and found out I am in the group who will not receive the other drug along with the Taxotere. It…
H&N Humor
I decided a couple weeks ago to buy 23andme evaluation for myself and my boyfriend. They analyze your DNA to look for heritage as well as genetic tendencies toward various diseases and disorders. I figured it would be a mouth swab. Nope! You have to spit in a tube, to collect about an inch of saliva. The instructions say…
Throat Pain Returns?
4 1/2 months post radiation and was feeling fine- normal diet, eating drinking, etc... Out of the blue, throat pain returns just like the post rad period-significant and cannot eat. Pet scan 4 weeks aga was NED. Had to do a lot of talking this past week for work. Has anyone else ever experienced this? Had some spicy food…
4 weeks behind us and doing well.
Just a quick report on my husband. Yesterday was the 23rd of 33 treatments so we start the 10 day countdown on Monday. He had two double-rad days, one due to the machine breaking down and one to avoid doing his last day after the three day holiday break for Memorial day. So, it's a tidy schedule with two M-F's to go. He…
Parotid Tumor-New Diagnosis
Hi... I am new to the boards. My 45 year old brother was diagnosed with a Primary Parotid Tumor with 3 positive lymph glands (Stage 4). He had a parotidectomy and neck dissection and they severed a branch of his parotid nerve. The margins were clear. Path report show poorly differentiated "squamous like " cells. No there…
Pumakitty Dad
Hi Everyone I just spoke to Kathy a little while ago; she said her Dad was not doing too well. He is in the hospital and they don’t expect him to live much longer, he had got Pneumonia on top of everything else and his body is just not strong enough to pull through it. He is not in any pain but resting and the hospital is…
Narrowing in pharnayx
Hey everyone, during my last swallow study they said i have a narrowing to my pharanyx and they believe it to be scar tissue from rsds during NPC tx? They believe this among other things is why i have trouble swallowing. Ive heard others ha e esphagus narrowing but anyone had this one and would diliatiOn work? And what is…
Little update again
Hey everybody! I've been reading posts almost everyday but find it hard to be active on the board due to a lot of work lately. My dad, as some of you already know, had finished his tx in September 2012 and in January CT showed a bit enlarged lymph node in his neck (they said it was probably from radiation which hit him…
Struggling tonight
I am really struggling. With my anniversary on Sunday I am feeling like I can't breathe. I miss David and his smile and his warm hand to hold mine. I tried to be brave and not whine, but I am so tired. I just keep wondering when it will get a little better. Why was it that my husband was chosen to go to heaven so early?…
Treatment update
Well, today was treatment #32 and tommorrow the radiation ends. The first three Chemos are also done. I get to wait about a month before the next round of adjuvent chemo starts depending on the healing of the throat and mouth. Mucositis grade 3 at this point but I'm still drinking water, Boost plus, Juven and milkshakes.…
Taste Has Stalled Out
Hi all, Was really doing well in taste coming back. 100% solid foods and somewhere between 30% to maybe 40% at best of my ablity to taste came back. Saliva is between 40% to 45% by my estimate. I am 5 months from last radiation and chemo. Unknown primary, full radiation and cisplatain (sp?) chemo. All of a sudden about 2…
Update
Completed 7 weeks of chemo and rad on Tuesday. Lost 25 lbs even with peg. Swallowing is non existance. Majic mouthwasher causes me to vomit-mouthsores. I feel worse now than ever. I need to swallow. Any suggestions?
Billie?
Anybody heard from Billie or Kari, haven't seen them post or answer in a bit just concerned! Rachel
Dad back in hospital
Hi guys, Just wanted to update you on a couple of things. Dad went to the oncologist last weeks and was told he was doing better then expected and he would see him in 4 weeks and determine if he was strong enough to restart chemo. Sae regular doctor next week and was told doing good. Home health nurse discharged him that…
More Dental Stuff
Hi Folks, I've been following Sheilarhc's post on dental implants. I know prior to treatment I had to be cleared by my dentist. I had one tooth removed and a cavity filled as well as a thorough cleaning. My dentist recommended using a childrens fluoride rinse (Listerine) as opposed to trays. I rinse with it twice a day (am…
NjShore
Hey Kari, i read on the cite someone asking if you we're ok and I know you and Dan both had surgery, are you guys ok? Thinking about you, worried about you and praying for you! love, Rachel
4 & 1/2 weeks Post Treatment - Thoughts
Am at 4 & 1/2 weeks post tx and thought I would share my thoughts and my recovery so far. Appreciate everyones journey is different though. Week 1 & 2 * Ulcers, mouth sores * Very sore throat * No energy thus lots of time in bed * Nausea from last chemo dose (cisplatin) * Was seriously tough work eating and drinking. In…
my struggle with negativity
Tomorrow I'll finish my third week of radiation and Monday I'll start my second round of chemotherapy. All in all I'm having a very good day. My energy level is up today, which is great. The calm before the storm, I guess, with chemo next week. My throat pain, which had been getting worse for several days, has dropped off…
*** CSN H&N Contact List ~ Update ***
OK, all of you that have sent me info so far, please let me know your preferred methods of contact and in which preference order...and any restrictions, time, personal calls, texts, cell phone calls, etc... Home Phone Number Cell Phone Number E-Mail CSN PM Text FaceTime Skype FaceBook and any other mode I have not…
Tomorrow morning
Tomorrow morning is the big day with the ENT. I hope nothing is wrong with me. I was managing well until now...I fear my life will change forever and I am so scared. If he does find something, I hope it's curable and that I won't have to wait another 3 weeks for results. It's hard, I sorta put my life on hold with the…
New added fun
Well, We have new added fun to our adventure. Rob will be getting extra fluids 2 days a week. He will also get a port in the chest and a feeding tube. He has lost 14 lbs in 2 weeks and they don't like that. Port goes in Friday, today is consult for feeding tube. He has totally agreed to the feeding tube as he sees how…

Head and Neck Cancer

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