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ShowDown in Orlando....Skiffin16 & Longtermsurvivor
My wife and I had the opportunity to meet Pat (Longtermsurvivor) and his lovely wife today in my neck of the woods... The meeting place couldn't have been more up my alley also... Bass Pro Shop - Orlando. We had lunch, talked for awhile and had a great time, my wife and I were very happy to meet you both Pat. It's always…
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Fighting against fear
I can go hours now without thinking about the cancer. I can't go a whole day yet, but I can make it most of a day. And when I do think about it, it's usually just as a part of my life, as something that happened to me like so many other good or bad periods of my life. Except when I hear about the recurrance of cancer after…
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Infection
I am back! About a week ago one of my husbands mollars fell out. This morning he woke up and his face was swollen where the tooth fell out. He said it's pretty bad and would not give me any details. He is going to see a PA today (not happy about that), his doctor is not in today. Anyways, I hope they get the infection…
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Another Milestone
Happy New Years Eve everyone. Today I reached another milestone in my journey ; 1 year ago today I finished my treatments and continue to be cancer free. While my journey isn't over , I will continue to see my onco and rad docs every 6 months, my ENT every three, with port flushes, CAT scans and throat scopes thrown in for…
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What to expect
if I have to have a partial neck dissection. Im creating a second post to my thoughts post. Seems the ENT will want to do another exam after the results of my PET scan, seems the SUV count (SUV count is picked up on the PET and I googled it, very confusing but seems to be related to many possibilities) did drop from over…
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BarefootBob
With a few members now blogging on CaringBridges.org, I decided to search for BarefootBob (Robert Eckhart) on that site. His wife, Danelle, started the blog but Rob has posted a time or two. Please check out his page for current information regarding him and his current treatment. I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas…
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Taste Buds
I recently completed 35 radiation treatments plus 3 chemo treatments for tonsil cancer. I am wondering if some of you could tell me how long it took for your taste buds to return and how long before your appetite returned? I am off the feeding tube but only drinking Boost as taste buds and appetite seem to be gone. I think…
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Is there a big disconnect from what I actually see vs. what the doctors keep saying?
First of all, no word on my CT of the lung scan, so this has nothing to do with my health status. I don't know if this is more of a question or just a statement, maybe it's a bit of both. But here it is. Lung Mets: I continue to hear from ALL the doctors I speak to that lung mets from H&N is "rare" I even got a % from one…
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First Feeding Tube Experience
I did not expect it to be as simple as it was. The folks at the Rad center were adament that they wanted me to start at least one feeding a day so that 1) I would maintain/gain some weight and 2) know what to expect when I need it. It turns out it's an extremely easy process, perhaps too easy as eating becomes harder and…
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Dropping by to say hi
I hope everyone had a good Christmas. I have thought about everyone and miss our daily posts. I have had a lot less time to devote to posting to the forum, but I have been reading most everything. David is feeling more himself the last couple of days and he even went upstairs for a shower today. It is nice to see him being…
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Christmas accomplished
We had a very nice Christmas yesterday. I got out the China and silverwear we got for the wedding. I was determined to make some memories. My son and daughter came, David's brother, mother and close friend were also here. It was the first time I really cooked since all of this happened and the food was great. I pumped…
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Cold Weather ~ Hot Grouper Chowder
With the cold weather and closed season.... It just seemed like a Grouper Chowder kind of day...; I usually save some left over grouper for the freezer, and dig it out on days like this. Usually freezing it and pulling it out later for a meal, fish tends to be a little stronger...perfect for making a stew or chowder.…
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A little update on my Dad
Hey everybody! Again, I did not post much but I read a lot. I hope you all had a good Christmas. Well, my Dad is now 3,5 months post chemoradiation. I think that he actually got stuck at the same place with pain in his throat. When he finished his tx after two weeks things got better. He never had PEG tube and was able to…
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Lymphedema
I am four plus months post radiation following a total neck dissection and have had increasing swelling in my lower face/upper neck on that side. It's been there for awhile, but not really bothering me til the last week, when it's become really painful, tender, and I can now hear my pulse pounding in my ear and bit the…
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quick guestion
how do you find the blogs, example Vikeman10 and Vivian? Thanks
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Humming in the ears
Has anyone got humming or ringing in their ears ftom Cisplaton? Jeff started getting humming after the first dose. We are heading for the 3rd dose today. We told the nurse the other day about it and was told they will cut his dose a little. When they reduce the dose do they tend to add an extra week? Do the humming go away…
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Surgery after IMRT
After 35 IMRT also my mother's 4A degree toncil cancer persists.Nearby bone also affected. She is suffering from heavy pain and mouth is opening a little only.She is sugested for a surgery on Jan1st. Pls share experience of same cases. Please give advises to arrange maximum medical support.
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Happiness after cancer?
After a tonsillectomy and a second operation involving a TORS procedure and a radical selectivedeck dissection and 33 radiation treatments I am finally 2 weeks removed from cancer treatment. Before I was diagnosed with tonsil cancer stage 2, I was on the brink of getting a divorce. I subsequently lost my job over the…
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Okay, We're Home Now & Word Of Warning
Brought hubby home last night from hospital, a little worse for wear. His diuretics have all but been removed, which is supposed to put less stress on the kidneys, but in turn has left him with swollen feet and legs so walking is impaired. Will be seeing Cardio, Endocrinologist, and selecting Nephrologist in the near…
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Post-treatment stuff I wish they'd told me
I have found the ongoing "lists" on this website (that everyone contributes to, sort of like a wikipedia work in progress) very useful. I am 7 months out from radiation (33) and erbitux (8 weeks) treatment. These are the main things I'd wish they had told me (but they didn't). This list is probably only relevant to those…
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Bilogical medicines
Hi, I have another post here - http://csn.cancer.org/node/251404 - which explains all these questions are on behalf of my father. This is a quick one - Has anyone here treated with Biological medicines along with Chemo? My father's docs gave him three options: 1) Radio + Chemo 6 weeks but will be tougher for the patient 2)…
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NP with no beside manner!!!!!
I felt like a total idiot at my husband's weekly follow up visit. His regular MD onc who we love and is so amazing and comforting was on vacation and a NP filled in. Stupid me asked a question about what they plan to do to monitor lungs as we always hear about monitoring neck. So I was basically looking for reassurance.…
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FINALLY : follow up lung scan tomorrow :)
Hey All, Gosh I think I have talked aobut this so much "about to happen" ...but tomorrow's FINALLY the day. The first denial came from insurance bc I was in Seattle, not my normal treatment center, as I flew out the next day back to Boise (while on the plane) the approval came in ...grrr. LOL....then the weather prevented…
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first restaurant trip
5+ months post treatment, finally bit the bullet and ate in public tonight. wish I could say the eating part was fun, but points for trying anyway. ;-) taste was working OK, but the trismus is not fun. got down some seafood soup, a bit of pork fried rice (had to spit out the pork, yuk), and one jiao-dz (steamed…
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Pre-Existing condition?
My Medical Insurance company is starting to question weather or not I had a pre existing condition. I'm on my wifes insurance, she is a nurse at a local hospital and, one would think have excellent insurance, it is expensive enough. Any body else had this BS thrown at them? It's bad enough having to face Radiation and…
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Upgrade Insight
As I know it... I'm not totally sure of the upgrade reasoning other than an old platform, hardware, etc.... There were some discussions on what would be nice as add ons to the existing forum. Mostly all functionality enhancements I had thought. But just to clear some mystery a little (again, as I know it)... Greta is the…
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finally got chocolate back
Well, i am about 2 years post treatment. many thanks to all that post here for their help in my fight. I am pretty much back to normall with a few exceptions. the reason for this post is that i recently got chocolate back. my taste buds slowly returned after treatment, but choclate just kept tasting like dirt. i just could…
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Just need some thoughts
I recently posted about having ear pain and neck pain and received some calming replies. However I called my Onc Doc today about it and received a call from his nurse. She said that the ENT doc we see on the 31st would be able to evaluate that, and then I asked if any information on the PET scan, that was I made my…
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Employee Discount
Well, I think I'm now getting the "Employee Discount" on those rare occasions when I actually eat something in the hospital cafeteria. Husband has now been in there for 10 days and is in his third room. He was given clearance to move from the Telemetry Unit to the Liver/Kidney floor. His heart is functioning as well as it…
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Merry Christmas
Hey all you wonderful warriors, I just want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! I have not been on in awile, my hubby is doing well. Still has balance issues, massive sore throat and now I believe a pinched nerve in his leg. Other than that he's great. I was wondering a few weeks ago I noticed he had…