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Someone asked me if I was a "cancer survivor"? And if I was "worried my cancer would ever come back"
I recently had someone asked me if I was a "cancer survivor"? And if I was "worried my cancer would ever come back"? I never thought of myself as a "cancer survivor". I just had a crappy "speed bump on the way through life" (i.e. cancer)...on the way to growing old with my wife and kids. Then I started thinking about it.…
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1 Year Scan
Just a quick request for prayer and good thoughts if you are so inclined. I go for my 1 year scan tomorrow (31st). Sure I am a bit anxious but whatever will be will be. Feel pretty good other than taster, lack of saliva and a bit of Lymphedema. Overall no complaints. I will update you after appointment. (Check in at 8:30am…
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Not doing well
Psychologically that is. I don't know what's going on with me. I should be happy that they got all the cancer. I don't feel happy. I feel scared. After two weeks of being home, I smoked a few cigarettes. That makes me feel even worse. I was in the middle of making plans to move to another state when all of this happened.…
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Radiation treatments and thyroid
Ever since I finised my rad treatments back in Sept. I have had issues with my hands and feet getting very cold. It's the worst in the morning but goes on all day if I'm sitting in front of the computer. I thought at first that it was the way may arm was laying on the desk while using the mouse but I dont think that's it.I…
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HPV throat cancer - website for treatment and recovery. "My Throat Cancer Story - 2015"
Hello Everyone, I just finished my HPV throat cancer treatment 8 months ago and recently created a website that discusses all the things that I did to help with treatment and recovery. "My Throat Cancer Story - 2015". DryMouthThroat.com I will be adding more to this website over the next few months. Robert
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Tony Talmich
I don't know if any of you know about a laryngectomee named Tony Talmich. Tony is a friend of mine on Facebook. He is the drummer in a very good band, the Jersey Boys I believe. The fantastic thing about Tony is that he has learned how to continue singing even though he is a laryngectomee. If you go to youtube and punch in…
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Help please! Brother with tongue cancer
Hello! As with most stories, mine is long- this is part venting (I'm in what I call the 'verbal diarrhea' stage of a crisis) part plea for help about what I need to do to help my brother who has advanced tongue cancer : I am 50 years old and have not seen my mother since 1985 (she was an alcoholic, addict and drug dealer…
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Oral Surgery is over
Well they did the procedure to uncover my implant and put in temporary posts. Surgery went well but they did some additional work where they increased the area in front of my lower gums to allow a better fit of the implants. They cut between the lower gums in front and put in a skin graft from my leg. Then put a splint…
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weather and
Does the changing in weather effect anybodys tongue or mouth who had BOT cancer,back in the fall and now in the spring ,i get this felling on the base of my tongue where i had the cancer,Not really pain but a felling,kind of weird feeling
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Food
I've been trying to experiment with what I can manage. It's so discouraging sometimes since I considered myself a foodie before this happened. I love to cook and have always avoided the processed and pre-packaged stuff. Now I can manage a few things that I couldn't before. Cottage cheese with diced (very tiny) melon.…
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Lymph Nodes
Well, they all tested negative.
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6 months out
Hello everyone! Hubby is now 6 months out from chemoradiation. When he first started treatments I had asked for some general guideilnes on recovery and his RO said that at 6 months he would be at 90% back to normal. But as many of you have experienced - and as I have feared - this is far from the truth. Eating is still…
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Dental healing after tongue cancer but no radiation or chemo
I had tongue cancer last March and had 1/4 of my tongue and lymph nodes on the right side of my neck removed. In May, I had two front teeth on the left pulled. Then, in October of 2015, I had the remaining 8 teeth pulled on top. My gums swelled up like crazy on the right side, but not the left, and took nearly two months…
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Post Op Blues
I have to say, I'm very depressed. Hungry all the time, tongue feels like a gnarled piece of flesh. Feels like I have a plastic ear. Can only get so much down and patience is running very, very thin. The visit to remove the drain wasn't much help. How long to get the results from the lymph nodes? Are they gonna make me…
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New member, husband with tonsil cancer - post-surgery and protons, possible lung spots
Hi everyone, It is strange to be here, in this forum, after my husband has already gone 8 months or so into the process. He was diagnosed with tonsil cancer in August 2015: T3-4, HPV+18. I appreciate your many stories. I'm hoping for guidance. I didn't think I'd need to post on a forum, thinking my 46yr old husband was in…
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Finishing up radiation, when will side effects get better
Hey, I'm new. Back story, I have (had) intermediate grade Mucoepidermoid Carcenoma of the submanibular gland. I had a lump in my neck for forever that they couldn't figure out what it was on biopsy. ENT decided to remove the cyst or whatever it was. Had the tumor removed back in October, had to be sent to Mayo to get…
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Home from hospital
Came home last night. Tongue is still swollen and misshapen. It feels like it's been burned. It tingles sometimes and it is extremely uncomfortable but I would say the pain is high. I find if I've been talking too much or after I try and "eat" anything, there is discomfort. It is every strange. Saliva pools sometimes and I…
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HI 3month PET scan today
Hi, Had my 3 month PET today. The results are online and of course I read them. Tomorrow I have appt with RAD ONC, MED ONC and ENT. The good news is my neck did not glow. Not the original Pyriform sinus tumor or the other two cervical lymph nodes. Nothing. I am shocked and very hopeful. There is however a new enlarged…
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update on ron
hello ron just hit 3 years on his original tonsil cancer. he did well thru all his treatments in 2013, hardly any problems. slight mought dryness , mst foods taste somewhat normal to him. gained his weight and energy back. just went for his annual check up in january, did ct of neck, neck was clear but it shouwed the top…
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gabapentin
Hello everyone! We are looking for a break away drug to help with the ongoing pain in my lower right jaw 8 months tx. I have been on morphine and most recently, oxycodone, and while they keep the pain tolerable, in no way do I ever see a pain level less than 5. My ENT and pharmacist want to try gabapentin, a drug that…
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88 Year Old Mother Just Diagnosed with Salivary Gland Cancer
Hi everyone. My mother had a FNA last week and was told the tumor in her salivary gland was malignant. One lymph node as well. We are awaiting the complete strain results which should come in today. We are probably going to make an appointment with Dr. Marshall Ponser at Mt. Sinai in New York. Does anyone hae a doctor at…
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Surgery is done
Five hours. Came through ok but now I can't swallow well, feels like my tongue is shorter. It's swollen for sure. That's the only thing holding me back from leaving the hospital - my ability to swallow and eat. I've had a little juice and water with a spoon. Please tell me this gets better.
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NED
Finally heard those words today and saw them written on the doctor's report also. Husband and I went to see the ENT surgeon today for a follow up. He said my husband looked great. Next scan is on May 2nd with a followup visit on May 9th. I asked the doctor "now what?" He said that we try to go back to our old lives as best…
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Hospice survivor
I am new to this board but not new to the bad and unexpected things that seem to find thier way into our lives. Back in 2010 I was placed in hospice with Cirrhosis of the liver and with all doctors giving me no chance, and now it's 2016 and I safely say that doctors dont know everything. Now I am facing a new foe called…
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swallowing after partial larengectomy
Hi I am new here and writing for my husband who is 62 and need help/info regarding relearning to swallow. My husband had surgery November 24 and had epiglotis removed, reconstruction and neck disection. Dr says went well and all looks good. Had trach and feeding tube inserted. Although the surgery went ok there were…
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PEG tube removal
My husband had his PEG tube removed last Thursday. The oncologist removed it in her office after calling the surgeon who put the tube in for permission. She just pulled it out. Freaky, right? Both the oncologist and the surgeon said that it would take a few weeks for the "hole" (for lack of a better word) to heal. Right…
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Erbitux Stage 4
Hello - I usaully post to forum for anal cancer, which is disease I'm coping with. Recently I was put on Erbitux and another chemo drug by my oncologist. Research has shown Erbitux effective in other HPV cancers, not just Head and Neck Cancer. I've done two treatments. I broke out in horrible rash after first treatment.…
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Today was my last day of radiation
Got through the chemo and 35 radiation treatments, now on to the healing. It was a little bumpy but thanks to the good folks on here and friends/family made much easier. By reading on here and other places I was able to avoid some of the pitfalls. I had no mouth sores, very little neck burn, I can swallow and feel fairly…
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It was time for me to join
Hello let me start out by interducing myself. I'm a 40 years old with a wife and 3 kids living in Minnesota. In the middle of May 2015 I was dx with SCC HPV+ of the tonsil with 3 positive lymph nodes. June treament started with 35 radiation tx with 3 Cisplatin. My last treament was AUG 3 2015. Then I had my first pet scan…
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Catching a break
Does not seem like my body plans to let me grt a break anytime soon! from pneumonia January, to doctors cancelling surgery date (they couldn't coordinate), one having to be out of town etc, I'm sick again! wondering if it's related to the cancer?? Same pneumonia symptoms,though we caught it early, but I'm on Mucinex,…