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The Bus Ride....
Hi All, Well we just completed week 2 today! We've been trying to prepare for the BUS RIDE. We started out in the front seat....we have now moved toward the middle with some symptoms starting to show up.(sores in mouth, sore throat, dry mouth, lack of taste and saliva)But, we are getting by. We know we will be to the back…
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Time to give volunteering a shot.
Well after 37 years of working at one location (I retired shortly after I was dx) I felt like I was going to the 1st day of school when I went into our local hospital today to see about being a volunteer. I had filled out a request over the internet and got a call from them to come in. I went in this morning, the Hospital…
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Swallow test results
Well David was upset yesterday afternoon when he failed the swallow test again. He aspirated every time he ate or drank anything. The voice/swallow therapist said she won't clear him to eat or drink until he does a barium swallow test. Unfortunately she has no openings until October 30. David is supposed to start…
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Some Hope...
Hi all! Yesterday I received a message from the other Oncologist that we were planing on working with. He called to say that they found a positive match with the cell structure of my original tumor. Also they have a drug on trial right now that has been showing great results. Anyway the trial drug is called GDC-0980. These…
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My Mom's PET Scan Results Came in Today
So my mom had her PET Scan today and thankfully was able to get the results today too. This was her first scan post-treatment. The good news: The mass that was in her neck is completely gone! She does still have a lot of mucus in her system as a result of the radition treatment she had. Then I don't know what to think kind…
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one week...
Well, tomorrow marks the completion of our first week of chemo and radiation. We saw the Rad doc today and oncology doc. Everything ok, except he lost 5 lbs in 2 days and is dehydrated ( his bp was low). He is eating but just not alot. Drinking but not alot. He is trying and that's all I can ask. I definitely know that I…
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Lazar Nerve Stimulation
Hi everyone, as most of you know the Vagus never in my face and neck has been damaged from having radiation twice to the same area. A few months back I lost the ability to swallow and my Voice got to where no one could understand what I was saying, I love preaching so this was very bad for me. Why because my tongue was…
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Three steps forward, one back
on the steps forward side... The PET scan shows great improvement and only 1 spot that was hot. The original approach was to wait and watch, but the tumor board recommended removal of the nodes Step 2, PEG tube came out Monday the 15th! It is SO NICE to be able to sleep on my stomach and not have to shower with 20 or so…
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Perspective
Today my husband went for IV fluid replacement before he had his radiation treatment. He had Cisplatin on Friday and so they gave him IV fluids yesterday and today. While we were getting the fluids, a young girl , probably mid twenties came in for chemo. She looked so ill and I know from the conversation she had on the…
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pain after IMRT
Dear Sir, My mother 63y is suffering 4A degree toncil cancer and undergone 36 IMRT radiation which was completed on 25 july 2012. two out of six chemo only could complete due to her blood count went very low. Her peg tube was removed very imediately after treatment due to infection. so she can drink liquid food only. There…
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My friend
A very good friend of mine was recently diagnosed with scchn. He is in the process of getting opinions but it appears he will need a modified neck dissection and a mandibulectomy followed by radiation sometime early next month. I know some in the group have been through this but I don't recall who they are. He is curious…
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New Side Effect of Rads????
Hey Kids, Had an appointment with OnocMan today (2 1/2 year post-tx petscan was yesterday). He asked me "So when did you break your back?" My answer - HUH! Appears the tech who did the petscan indicated that T7 was fractured. No accidents, no injuries and best of all no pain from this. Have no idea what it's from. Onco…
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So many appointments
Today has been a busy day. We had a 9:20 with ENT, 10:20 with chemotherapy oncologist, 1:00 mapping/mask making; 2:30 barium swallow. My husband was exhausted when we got home. We were supposed to have the barium swallow on the 30th, but the voice/swallow therapist was very concerned with David's last swallow test and…
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cramps
Husband is 2 and 1/2 yrs post treatment. All and all doing very well. Working every day, taking hunting trips, walking 4-5 ties a week, living a good life :) ...eating almost everything he wants (btw...what foods he likes now is completely different than before treatment)... This post is about a recent development.…
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head and neck cancer stage 4
Is there any one here that can give me some insight as to what they are about to do to me. I see the main dr on June 2nd for a consultation. which will be exactly 2 months sense I found out that I had cancer under the tongue( exactly in the middle of my tongue) is where the tumor is. One dr already did a biopsy, and thats…
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Looking for hope
Today was a sad day for me, I had bad news after bad news. After six weeks after treatment my husband had a scan and it show it's has return, the drs for radiology and chemo told me that they were sorry but no more radiation can be given and the chemo told me they can give more. The ENT will see us tomorrow . I feel so…
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Help me.. Am I going crazy????
I am a caregiver for my husband and he is a little over a year out. He still has a horrible sore throat, I was concerned and pushed up his appointment. Scope all clear. The other day he had severe leg pain, and he makes an appointment with his Rheumatologist, she thinks it's a blood clot and send him for an ultrasound.…
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Pet Scan Results
Loved one had his first Pet Scan done to see what direction we need to go for treatment. According to the Surgeon base of tongue & neck appeared to be only "hot" spots, but she said she is not a Radiologist and he would confirm. After Radiolgist reviewed, saw a hot spot in stomach. Said it could be gastritis and needs to…
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surgery on Thursday - not cancer
On Thursday I am having my knee scoped (torn cartlidge) and because of my problems with pneumonia they have decided to use a nerve block vs general anesthesia. I know this is probably best but I really don't want to be awake while they are working on me. Bad news is as soon as I heal from this they are going to do rotator…
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Still naseauted part 2
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been having pretty severe naseau since Tuesday the 9th, and ended up in the hospital Sunday evening (13th), through Tuesday afternoon. The plan was to add promethazine suppositories to my anti naseau routine, scopalamine patches for the the days after chemo., and a feeding pump to…
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Nick770?
Has anyone heard from Nick recently? I thought he was supposed to have a biopsy a while ago and I am wondering how he is doing. Myka
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Fast growing tumor in submandibular salivary gland and I might be in for a RIDE---help i am scared
Yesterday the ENT did a biopsy on my 3 and a half week old lime-size tumor that is just under my jawline. The liquid was clear and bloody and the bad news arrives Tuesday. I already know... and I am a very healthy and optimistic person. Because I am 45 years old, a single mom of 3 with a mortgage and pets and the whole…
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A little saying to help us along...
I have this posted on my computer and thought I would share: "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." I look at it MANY times a day...hope it helps. Lynda
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All you mouth breathers....
Ya know when I had the horrible mouth sores during the 5FU treatment...the most painful part of any day was the beginning, when I woke up after having breathed thru my mouth all night. Everything that was wet stung horribly in the morning, and I really needed to get my mouth wet...On the third round of 5FU my husband…
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And then there was 4
A few weeks ago I posted 3 down 1 to go, well we saw the ENT today, and Im blessed to get an all clear by the ENT in our Team of Onc, Rad, and Ent. she did the say AHHH review and felt the neck for lymphs and the tube down the nose scope, some swelling but no cancer. I asked about a PET scan since I only had a CT scan and…
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Does chemo alone kill the cancer cells?
Hey all..just a quick question if I may. Since I have seen on here and also read in the past that many times you can have radiation but not always in the same place or depending on the strength... Does chemo alone kill cancer cells / tumors? I would think it does / can ..and I know everybody is different ..but can you give…
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Comedy and Courage
http://radiatedon.com/2010/07/17/sigh/ The link I posted above ^ is to a blog that filled me with a poignant mixture of laughter and empathy. It is written by a man with a gift for sharing his experiences (dx & tx for oral cancer) in ways that few have the writing talent to do as uniquely and amusingly. Given the dire…
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Something diffferent...
I would listening to my mp3 player during chemo and found a number of songs that helped make me feel better, give me some hope, and perhaps bring my attitude up. I particularly enjoy movie soundtracks and instead of just listening to the music, I listened to more of the words and their meaning. From "The Preacher's Wife",…
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Back from Hershey
Hi all, back from my appointment today with the thoracic surgeon (a professor no less) really nice man. He put on the video of the needle biopsy procedure to show me the nodule, the needle missed it on the first try, got it on the next. He said the biopsy was inconclusive as to what it was, said it still could be benign or…
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rebuilding muscle mass & feeling my age
I've always been a pretty fit guy--avid hiker, ice skater/rollerblader, frisbee thrower... until the cancer beast robbed me of 40 lbs. and sapped my energy to get off my ****. I lost so much muscle mass (and fat), sitting on a hard chair hurt my bony butt. now that I've started to gain back some of the lost weight, it's…