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Financial milestone!
As many of you know, I started my journey of fighting cancer with NO insurance. My employer keeps us under a certain # of hours as not to have to offer benefits. My husband is self employed so we honestly could not afford the premiums when this all started back in December 2013. I had to fight like crazy to get ANY…
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Neck support and elevation while sleeping?
For the last month and a half my husband has been sleeping in a recliner to help with the mucositis. I bought him one of those airline neck pillows to help stabilize his head and neck but he still wakes up with a fairly stiff and uncomfortable neck from it falling forward or to the side as he sleeps. Can anyone recommend…
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Interesting article on recurrence
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/more-patients-are-hearing-words-you-have-cancer-again-n414846 j.
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Trials and how to choose
Hello everyone, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with choosing a trial for mets ? I'm on a national waiting list for any matches for my specific tumor type. But of as today none have been found. I was given a name at the Mayo here in Minnesota that I will be checking out. (trial specific for rare cancers but not…
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Tonsil biopsy
Hi, I have a biopsy scheduled for late August for what the ent thinks is a regrown left tonsil but isn't quite positive. I was wondering if you could share your experience with having one? Everything that happened during and after? This will be an office procedure. Thanks.
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Thoughts of suicide?
Just wondered if any of you thought about doing yourself in when first diagnosed? I was reading an article online today that some when first told they had cancer (especially younger people commit suicide). It got me to remembering that first week after I knew I was in bad shape. I have to admit the thought flickered thru…
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Burning in esophagus, throat, stomach from 5FU
My husband just started 5FU with a pump via port for 4 days. At day 2 the burning in esophagus, throat and stomach seems unbearable. He is 100% PEG dependent at this point, inability to swallow due to intense pain. Any one else find a way to counter this side effect? Oncologist recommended over the counter Prilosec. We had…
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Pet Scans
How many Pet Scans has anyone had and do you see any relationship betwen radiation and an ischemic colon? TIA
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eating at eight weeks
Tomorrow is eight weeks post radiation/chemo for squamous cell carcinoma of my facial nerve. Earlier this week I tried to eat a fried egg and gave up on it. Today I tried some chicken rice soup. I tasted it, I enjoyed it and I had no pain. I even went back and got a bigger bowl and polished that off too. Tonight I think…
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Using Aloe juice to help promote healing in mouth
I am in my second week of treatment and was trying aloe juice to help promote healing in my mouth from the radiation. Has anyone else tried this and what experience did you have? i just swish some around my mouth and swallow, then do not drink anything for a while. Thanks and this is a great forum with lots of good info…
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Well, that sucks...
Got a PET scan last week and got the results today. The rad onc says two of the lymph nodes lit up. Fine needle biopsy next Monday to confirm and then he suggests surgery to remove them. One year after tx and dealing with the daily bs of taste and saliva issues and now this...thought I was free and clear...guess…
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I hopefully will have some normalacy back in my life
Another appointment down, this time with the Radiation Oncologist. Yes, it has been 15 1/2 years since I completed radiation, but he still sees me once a year. The appointment went well and he has given his OK, that I can start Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments. This will consist of 30 dives pre oral surgery which is to remove…
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Melanoma in head and neck area?
my friend has been treated for 20 years for her arthritis with a drug that has high risk for cancer. in febuary 2015 she was told she has non hogeskins lymphoma, she did some chemo with great results. in late may 2015 they found melanoma on her forehead and removed with surgery late june 2015 there was a large fast growing…
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hit my first wall today
I am now into just the 3rd week of chemo and 2nd week of radiation, everything has been fairly smooth up to today when I felt, for the first time, the radiation burn in my throat. Came home and made the nasty backing soda, salt gargle and it greatly minimized the discomfort immediately. So far, I have been going to the car…
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August 18,2015~~Graduation Day
Yesterday, having a routine visit and scope schuduled with my surgeon Dr Ricardo Carrau, at The James in Columbus Ohio, I was given a total surprise and the most welcome news. He came in with 3 of his students, did the usual poking and prodding..and of course, down the nose scope..explaining what he had done to his…
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eating solids
I am 7 1/2 weeks out from radiation therapy. I still have a sore on the bottom of my tongue. Did you force yourself to try to food like eggs or soup or were you content to drink boost untill you mouth was more healed?
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Kritter Up-date 8-15-15
Hi everyone Kritter is going through treatment and having a very hard time; please keep her in your thought & prayers that she will have the strength to continue. A few weeks ago a lot of her hair was falling out so she cut it all off; I told her that I will do the same to help in supporting her through her treatment. So…
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NED....with a "but......" hanging on the end of it!
Oncology called today to tell me there is no sign of a recurrance.....BUT.....one lymph node lit up....it is normal sized, but that "we" (ongology and ENT) will be keeping an eye on it....kind of raining on my parade . I keep telling myself that it's nothing...around here this time of year, we're breathing smoke 24/7 from…
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Scar Tissue problems
I had radiation and chemo for voice box cancer four years ago and have been cancer free since then. Lately I have had a very sore throat, itchy cough and pflem in my throat. I just went to my ENT, sure that my cancer had come back but thank goodness everything looked great. She said my symptons were from scar tissue from…
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QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO TNM Staging of Head and Neck Cancer and Neck Dissection Classification
Just an FYI; I ran across this Guide and found it very helpful on staging and Neck dissection by the different locations for H & N. http://www.entnet.org/sites/default/files/NeckDissection_QuickRefGuide_highresFINAL.pdf American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Tumor Staging by Site A. Oral Cavity B. Oropharynx C. Larynx…
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SUPERTHREAD UPDATES~
I'm working on updating the links on the SuperThread..., it's been awhile. While I'm working on it, my stopping point will be recognized by GREEN text, until I get back to it again.. If you want something added, or find an update for a broken link, let me know and I'll get to that also.. Thanks, John
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Table breaking
Mom is coping. We are into week 3. Her hair is thinning. Her mouth is a little iffy but no mouth sores so far it appears. But we have a compliant. Her table keeps breaking! Every week her table has broke. Is this normal? Two times she has been down there and it was broken and no one told us before the hour drive there.…
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reactions to first chemo treatment
Well we were excited for my husband Robert's first chemo treatment. He is ready for it to shrink up. First treatment was Monday and they gave him a bag of benadryl before the chemo. About 20 minutes after chemo started he started having stabbing pains in the middle of his back and his blood pressure dropped. They rushed…
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This may help dry mouth
I have a few new root cavities and my dentist gave me Remin Pro made in Germany. I selected strawberry. I am supposed to put a pearl size drop at gum line each night with my finger. He told me it could increase saliva and it has. I don't have a huge issue with dry mouth anymore but when I use the Remin Pro, I actually…
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Acupuncture & Taste recovery - Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue
Hi All, I am very encouraged by the input from MrsBD. It has been over 3 years for my diagnosis and treatment. (Details are all there in initial postings.) I have been having a strange 3-4 month cycle of heightened sensitivity to all things oral. Speaking loud, even on phone, hurts the tongue 3 Years later I can summarise…
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symtoms
Have a question , my brother had throat cancer 3 yrs ago , scans have all been good, the problem is where his neck was cut on seemed sticky the other day so he took a wash cloth and wiped it off, and clear water begin to squirt out enough he said to fill a pop bottle cap full? After his surgery 3 yrs ago he had a lot of…
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Surgery vs No surgery
I have read many of your stories and I know that each case is different. The day my husband had his biopsy the ENT told me that it's not an area they can operate on because of where it is and that chemo and radiation with the possibility of seed implants after treatment are the course of treatment. From some of your…
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MEC salivary gland cancer (submandibular), newly diagnosed
Hi! I am thyroid cancer survivor and now being Dx with salivary gland cancer (mec of submandibular gland). This may have been caused by radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer... So one was done the other came in. Im so sad! I just had two wonderful babies and i cant enjoy them as i have to concentrate on all these…
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Stage IV T3N2Mo Looking for answers
Hello All, My hubby is finally feeling good. Gained some weight which is great. Went from 255k (and no not chunky....lol..6'3' big dude) all the way down to 170.No tube needed, but got pretty thin after treatments. He is 8 Months out now, and just weighed in at 188. He looks great, and is in my estimate 75% which is…
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Cellphone use & Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma
Hi All I have been reading up on MEC a little. Things have gone well for me so far, but I wanted to get a bit of background on risk factors for my particular form of cancer as I was at an unusual age to get it. Maybe it was just bad luck, but I definitely think I made some interesting connections. It seems the only thing…