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Surgery is Wednesday morning with tumor in neck lymph node
Hi all and thank you for the uplifting interest and support last week with this ordeal. 4 and a half weeks ago I found lump on neck about marble size. 1st doc said salivary gland when I came to him with my swollen 'lymph node'. Now, 3 doctors and a dentist later, the CT scan shows the tumor to be the lymph node just next…
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Scan Results
Hubby got the official word today on his first post tx PET scan -- all clear!! He had the scan at 7 am yesterday and we met with the ENT at 930. ENT had already reviewed the scan of the cancerous area -- left tonsil and three lymph nodes -- and told us nothing lit up and it was clear. He deferred to the radiologist for a…
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Scanxiety
First post-treatment scan Tuesday, get the results Thursday. Now I know what all of you mean by scanxiety. Trying to stay positive but those doubts just creep in my mind all the time. Especially in the middle of the night when I wake up, my mind just starts racing with all the what ifs? But I am going to think NED as much…
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Flouride
Ok my question of the day: Before my husband started radiation he was seen by a dentist and had flouride trays made. He never gave him any flouride though. So, 1. When do you start using flouride. Are you supposed to be using it while getting radiation or do you start when finished with treatment. 2. Where do you get the…
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Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
My name is Debbie. I was diagnosed with ACC in March 2003. I had a large portion of my upper palate removed and now wear an obturator. I don't have anyone in my community that has gone thru this. I had 6 weeks of radiation. I just want to meet someone who has this disease and visit. I feel all alone out here.
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Home
Man, what a week, I am home from the hospital, everything went well except for a little A-Fib, which was a scary thing, It was cancer, a very low-grade bronchialveola, (s?) doc said I made the right decision, will see him in month and then 4 month intervals. Will do a better update when feeling a little better. Denis
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Balancing guilt with sanity
Ok this caregiver job is so hard. Watching my beloved husband in pain, losing weight and miserable at times is so hard. I find myself sitting alone in the house for hours while he sleeps. He is such a light sleeper I can't even vacuum or clean the house so I sit around a lot more than I am used to. I have had so much…
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New Faces of HPV & Cancer ~ Dr. Oz - Live Chat Participation Opportunity
I saw this, thought that I'd share it... The New Faces of HPV and Cancer: Live Chat Tonight at 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. EDT Think you know all there is to know about HPV? Think again. You may believe you aren't at risk anymore if you're married or in a monogamous relationship. This simply isn't true: 80% of sexually active adults…
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HPV and oral/throat cancer
Hello folks, I know that having high risk HPV is now considered a risk factor for oral/throat cancer. DOes anyone have any personal experiences with this that might shed some more information? Is there a test that one can take to see if there is high risk HPV in the throat or mouth? I've read one thread on here that said…
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I go back to work tonight at midnight.....
YIKES!! Part of me is excited to get back into the grind...part of me is wondering if I can pull off shift work again. This is a two tierd shift...we work 4 to midnight for 6 days, get two days off, then go to midnight to 8 for 6 days, with two days off (which really only adds up to a day and a half off)..I'm going to…
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Cautious optimism
I have had double vision since September, headaches have been added to the mix also. I needed to stop working because I am in pain and vision problems. First MRI of brain showed nothing (there is brain matter!) second MRI of orbit showed scar tissue. Cancer surgeon thought he saw a mass not scar tissue, sent to…
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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…