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Good news here too for a change.......
I just got results on Wednesdays pet scan and all clear......Ring that bell for me twice Matt! They saw a little non cancerous uptake in the esophagus, probably irritated or inflamed from chocking on food....Maybe I can start to let my guard down just a little now....feeling good.... Jim
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One Year Survivor
Hi to all, Just wanted to check in and share that next week is the one year anniversary of my surgery. I will be 10 months post rad also. I lost 1/3 of my tongue, had radical neck dissection, a skin graft from my leg to my tongue and a tracheotomy for several days while in the hospital. Then a nightmare of treatment that…
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I Visited With My Brother
Hi Everyone! I have been MIA the last couple of weeks because of out-of-town guests and then a much needed trip to OH to visit with my brother. As many know, my brother finished up his treatment on July 22. On my way over to his house, I kept praying that I would be able to control my facial expressions when I first saw…
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Response to Hondo's Alternative Medicine Post
For what it's worth, as I am not the one presently dealing with cancer, alternative medicine scares the hell out of me. Not because I don't believe in it, because I do. It just takes a huge leap of faith to throw conventional wisdom to the wind and embark on an unknown, unproven journey. Suszanne Somers did it and she has…
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We are over loaded with information!
Everyone is so great in helping us learn about what we are up against. But, gosh, right now I hv to say it is overwhelming. Just coping with the acceptance of CA the up coming first day of testing, and then the chemo. It is driving us a little over the edge. we need to know all this, because I don't want our lack of…
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Clear Scope!
My husband had his first scope since he finished radiation tx end of June- happy dance for sure! Yay! We were talking about these past few months; from finding the lump on his neck to all that followed- scans, two surgeries, radiation ( 31).... How scary all of it was. and now? Dr appts and scopes every 3 months... We'll…
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Routine doctor's appointment
NOT. . .no not me! Went to Stanford Tuesday for one of 2 appointments post treatment. Microvascular surgeon was getting ready for a little nip, tuck (spot in incision site, graft opens up at least once a month). I reminded him about the pain that I have been having and have gone back on pain meds. He talked to Onc.…
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Dad 3 weeks post treatment
Hey everyone I have been MIA the past week and a half or so, just wanted to pop in and check on everyone and wish you all well... it's been crazy trying to balance school, help dad, getting my parents ready to move, work, and now my brother in law fell from a ladder last Friday breaking his rib and banging himself up…
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AdCC Six month post treatment CT scan.
Hi all, It's been awhile since I've posted but I do read many posts. First 90 day post treatment MRI was surgical site where they removed submandibular gland with tumor in it. NED. Had a CT of chest last week and my appointment today with ENT\Surgeon. No evidence of disease in lungs. That’s 180 days post tx. Whew! I have…
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Mayo tomorrow
I am flying to Mayo tomorrow for blood tests and MRI and then we meet with the team on Friday. Praying they can offer options. Physically, I feel good but this has been overwhelming. A flurry of phone calls and gathering records, pathology slides, etc. Met with lawyer today to get my affairs in order, something we should…
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No more treatment!!!
No more treatment We were about to start my husband treatment at university of Chicago from this coming Sunday and we just got news from them today…that my husband doesn’t need any more treatment!!! They finally reviewed pathology form my husband neck dissection form last month after insurance approval and they have…
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Anxiety
I thought I'd bring this topic up for discussion. Recently, on another OC forum, there have been several posters asking about symptoms of OC and expressing fear concerning cancer. This is totally natural and understandable. We all went through a period of worry and anxiety when we were in the diagnostic stages of our…
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Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Went to my Dermo the other day for my semi-annual check-up.... As you know I fish a lot, live in Florida, and I'm fair complexion... Anyways, I usually have a spot or two that gets frozen, tops of my ears occasionally, etc... MD recommended me having Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) which my insurance covers. It usually (from…
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We are starting our journey to recovery
We were enjoying life when it turned on us with a diagnoses of scc tonsil hbv T2N2bMO. First I am having trouble getting over my husband being missed dx for at least 6m and 3 docs and a CT. Just sore throat doing its job! I guess that is the angry part of this nasty C. Fortunately God put a great ENT in our lives two weeks…
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An Annoying day
so I was scheduled for my 6 month PET, at 9:30 this morning managed to get there with not too much scanxiety and about halfway to the appointment I get a call saying there meds were screwed up and rescheduled me for 2:45 instead, which would have been fine, excepth that you cant eat, so by 2:45 I was hungry cranky, tired,…
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Contemplating 2nd Jaw Surgery
Help me out here, I've had a trach and feeding tube from my last go round with NPC and don't have a trach or feeding tube anymore. I need to finish the jaw surgery by getting the bone out of the back of the leg, but I'm just dreading waking up again with a trach, feeding tube, catherder and a sore leg and jaw. My jaws…
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nine years on
Just a bit concerned about sensations I am having around the scar of the removal of a 21/2 cm lump nine years ago. I am feeling a numbness on left side of face ans a strange sensation under my teth LHS. I had all clear after five years of check ups. The tumor was low grade and surrounding area all clear. I feel silly about…
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pro-active instead of re-active
Hey everyone ! Well made the appointment with the onc's at the U. Rolie also has a re-check with his team for his annual diabetes check the same day. Killing two birds with one stone so to speak. Our daughter's will be coming with....because of Rolies vision and our appointments being so close together.....one will stay…
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Scanxiety
Hi guys, I still check in and read posts and send positive thoughts to you all. My husband is so grateful when I can say....oh, that is totally normal....on the boards...... it makes him feel like he is not alone. He finished treatments for scc stage 4 tonsils on 1/31/13. His April PET and CT were clear with "extra junk…
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Let's liven up the place! Sanjay Gupta MD says WEED is AOK
Hi all, I have no dog and I don't fish so can not one-up the filler threads like JG posts. But I can surely give it a go on the topic of Weed for medicinal purposes. Sunday evening there was a TV special with Dr Sanjay Gupta as he shared several real life examples of the miraculous ability of MMJ (Medical Marijuana) to…
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Tongue cancer - how to prepare for post-operation
Three months into what looked like a canker and one month into knowing that it is tongue cancer. I am totally blown away by its nature and force. My mom's tongue now has a white patch. It got larger after incisional biopsy. Can anyone comment on the recovery of the tongue and the tongue activity, speaking, eating and…
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Update on the whatisit in my head
Hey folks! Just wanted to stop in for a quick hello and update. I'm still around, responding to posts here and there even if life is hectic right now. When I saw the new ENT here in LA in late April, he ran a follow-up PET scan. At that point it was about a year after diagnosis (HPV+ SCC Stg. IV) and about 9 months after…
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Nasopharyngeal Cancer
I am 45 yrs old, was diagnosed May 2012 with Nasopharyengeal Cancer (sinus). Went through Chemo and Radiation, rough times! Then took CT and other scans, came back it had spread. Taken Chemo again, but last scan showed no new growth so I am on a break from Chemo for now. Happy time! Was just wondering if any others out…
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MEC Time Frame
Hi All, I haven't posted a thread here in probably a year because everything has been going relatively well since my treatment. Just had my 3rd PET scan last week but my Dr. didn't set up an appt. for the results. If all is well they will probably mail me the results. Being only 16 months out of radiation treatment I am…
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My new tshirts!
I visited the site www.choosehope.com and found some really nice merchandise and they donate proceeds toward cancer research. Here is the necklace, keychain, and shirt I got myself (with the head and neck ribbon color).... Then a fellow warrior got me this as a sweet gift when I finished treatment...she has 6 rads to go...
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Caring for the caregiver
Good morning! Finally feeling a little human again. Sweet husband cancer survivor Jim had the misfortune/opportunity to take care of me for the past couple of weeks. As one who has degenerative spine and disk disease, from the time to time I have to have a spinal fusion. I managed to put this last one off until we got the…
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Toes in the Water ~ Fishin
Well, the week-end is here... Time to relax, reflect, and get out of the office and on to the water.... Last week-end was a Banner Day.... I was on the water early, tide was looking good, perfect for my Flounder area... I was supposed to take someone, but he bailed on me, so I had to go it alone.., rough I know huh...,…
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Financial worries and guilt
As Jim's condition continues to decline I feel guilty about worring over my financial situation when I am alone. I will not be able to stay in our home on my retirement and Social Security alone. Rent is higher than my current payment. We live in a manufactured home, which is paid for but lot rent goes up every year. We…
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Anniversary of Sorts
2 years ago today I had my first all day chemo treatment , cisplatin, taxotore, and my favorite the 5FU pump, I would have 2 more of these all day treatments each 21 days from August to Oct before starting 7 1/2 weeks of rads with 1 infusion of carboplatin for ever week of rads. As I sit and remember the last 2 years , I…
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More Chemo
About six weeks ago, I was told that there would be no more chemo for my metastasis to the lung and ribs. This threw me into a deep depression with extreme insomnia. However, at the next monthly visit, my medical oncologist offerred a series of Methotrixate infusions. Received one. The following week, I was running a…