-
Some happiness post cancer treatment
Hey everyone...I hadn't planned to come on again so soon, but I am just so happy right now and I had to share it with you all. last year was a weird year, I gave birth to my third child, got diagnosed with cancer, had major surgery, then went through 30 radiation treatments (nursing my son through it all, with careful help…
-
When do you stop waiting for the other shoe to drop?
I will have reached my two year survival for NPC in September and have bounced back physically fairly well after the hard treatment.I have three wonderful children and a fantastic husband,but I find it hard to face any ailment however small without great worry and stress.It has been raining here for seven days and I have…
-
How common is it for the thryoid in the neck fails?
Hi Guys as you guys know that I came on the board while back asking about thick mucus with blood in it after hacking it up. Well I went to see my ENT doctor (yesterday) and he was feeling around my neck by the larynx and I told him that starting to hurt lately and he said it could be a thyroid problem. So my ENT doctor…
-
send prayers
Okay my family here, We go tomorrow for the results of my mother's 2nd biopsy( her name is Pauline)....please,please pray for good results! I'm also going to look into other places for a 2nd and 3rd opinion.
-
pet scan isssues
How much faith do y'all's doctors have in these PET scans? What do they tell you about false positives after cancer treatment? It seems like most on here have many PET scans...like they are the gold standard. I'm just curious. i thought the radiation works in your body for quite a while afterwards.
-
Not Sure Yet?
Hi,Iam getting CatScan;today.I,have 3 small masses on parotid. If,they grew,hopefully ENT will biopsy&see what this is. My masses Are not visable . Pat
-
Neck masses
Thought I had TMJ,told that yrs ago.Gland would swell many yrs ago,while eating. Worse,lately. Oral Surgeon,sent me for MRI,last Friday.Just been told several masses on both neck glands. Any thoughts? Thanks have good week; Pat
-
Calling Kent Cass Where are you
Anyone seen, heard, or posted to Kent in a while I am starting to get a little worried Hondo
-
Questions about strange happenings
I've completed 1 chemo and 8 rads of my 7 week course (3 rounds cisplatin/35 rads) and so far I think I'm doing well. However, I had a strange thing happen and I'm hoping someone else has experienced something similar??? I have bilateral metastasis to the neck nodes. Two nodes in particular (one on each side) are larger.…
-
going back to work
whew, Just a reminder .... for people starting back to work after treatment. It's a lot easier to overdo than you think it is. Case in point, I started back to work 3 weeks ago, and i was working in my yard in the afternoons. Then bam, I started feeling exhausted all the time. So then for about 3 days i went to work, then…
-
How "public" are you about your illness or its after-effects?
I'd like to hear how others have dealt with the issue of being totally private versus being more public. In my case, I'm a local band (meaning: financially vastly unsuccessful) musician, so I have a bit more "high profile" to begin with. It's my theory that people generally like their musicians at least a bit quirky or…
-
Still looking for someone with issues of frailty and dementia who is undergoing or has undergone rad
posted last week that my husband is due to start radiation therapy for throat/lymph node cancer. He is frail and has mild dementia. What can we expect? What about issues of swelling of throat, aspiration, eating, etc. Really would like some input. Thanks.
-
statistics
Do y'all pay attention to 5 year survival rates? I went on the computer yesterday, and I've driven myself totally crazy. Now I'm depressed and shaking so much I couldn't sleep at all last night. I think mine said 47% 5 year. Also am I the only one on here who has had the big C in the nasal cavity and the eye region. I feel…
-
peg tube and diarrhea
Hello all Hope everyone is doing well. My father has been on pegtube for several months. He has been experiencing diarrhea and has also not seen much increase in weight. The doctors are waiting on scans post surgery as he still has a lot of swelling from his mandibulectomy and reconstruction. Any advice? Thougts?…
-
Cardboard taste ---soo early on- any advise
Ok I have been reading the posts but of course didnt think it would happen to me - 14 treatments 20 more to go- Yikes ==Yes taste buds gone ...harder to eat, anything else then salt water/baking soda and magic mouthwash to make things taste better???? Boy oh boy is has only been a few days of this and HATE it.... I really…
-
Help...Need suggestions
My mom has stage 4a BOT cancer. Due to the size of the t0umor, surgery is not an option. She started her rad treatment on Tuesday and also had her 1st dose of cisplatin. They gave her anti nauseau meds before the chemo...They also gave her anti nauseau pills for at home with a schedule of how to take them. She also is in a…
-
New clinical trial for recurrent head and neck cancer
Hi All, Just wanted to let you know that Pat's oncologist, Dr. Antonio Jimeno of the University of Colorado Cancer Center, has just initiated a new clinical trial for recurrent head and neck cancer that has not responded to conventional treatment. I know not many of you are from anywhere near Colorado, but I have to say…
-
Long Term Survivor Rates
Hey Everybody Larry (Cajun) was asking for a reference on long term survivor rates. The National Cancer Institute has a publication from 2001. NCI SEER (Survelliance, Epidemology, and End Results program). Easily found if you google the title. Chalpter 2 is on Head and Neck and has a lot of statistics, based on sex, race,…
-
Kent cass PMed me ....
Just wanted to let evetyone knowbas i see he hasnt responded to the ABP! Very odd but he responded to me via PM so i know he checked the board. Maybe computer issues?! I have been having trouble responding on board n creating new threads But he is with us on the boards! And fave me some great feedback and support
-
anyone with Tonsil CA .. not have chemo?
Just curious. Always confusing to remember who was diagnosed with what. not that it matters to me, as everyone's love, advice and support is amazing and so comforting. Mom diagnosed with Right SCC of Tonsil after tonsillectomy. Originally there was no origin as her PET was clean. mets to one lymph node which was removed.…
-
Checking In
Hi all: Been globe trotting again. I went last weekend to my great nephew's high school graduation (the grandson of my brother that passed away in Oct.) and then came home on Sunday and left Monday for Hilton Head! My best friend's older son owns a condo there and she and her husband were going and another couple was…
-
How long until first post chemo-radiation CT?
From your experiences, how long after completed course of chemo-radiation treatment was your first CT... or any test to check effects of the completed treatment? I am getting different timelines from different medical professionals... from 3 weeks of completion to 3 months of completion. I am into fifth week of six-weeks…
-
Interesting side effects
We have been talking about serious side effects of radiation years after the end of treatment. Has anyone experienced unusual ones which are not so serious? Buzz lost his whistle but gained long, dark, curly eyelashes! He looks like he is wearing mascara. Karen
-
All Clear
I had MRI's done last week of my head and neck. Went to the doc today and got the "all clear". Won't be getting a PET/CT for another couple months but for now everything looks great! Much thanks and gratitude to everyone here for all the support that got me through. Life is good. Bob
-
wrong decision? =(
after reading through the boards and talking to other H&N patients... i felt it was best for my 107 lb mother to get feeding tube first week of treatment. was very happy to hear to GI doc who did the procedure say that i was a very smart daughter and he agreed. rad/onc doc then told us several hours after installation that…
-
Painful lump in vein used for IV
I was wondering if anyone had a lump developed in their veins. I had surgery almost 3 weeks ago and I have this painful lump a few inches up from were the IV was placed. I think it has actually been moving upward in my arm. Can this be dangerous?
-
I have ants in my pants
I am getting a bit antsy being my husband has 5 days left of treatment. Just wanted to know, has anyone been told by the radiologist/oncologist at the end of treatment that they beleive they got all the cancer. I was wondering do we have to wait 2 months before we know anything. I am tired of the waiting game and my nerves…
-
tests and scan questions
Okay Y'all, I have a few questions and I'm new here. I just posted about 5 days ago for the first time. here goes: 1. does scar tissue light up on PET scan? 2. Can scar tissue and inflammation grow or get bigger over time? 3. What are dead cells, and is that good or bad? 4. are PET scans reliable months after surgery and…
-
Finally finished with my initial work-ups at UNCCH surgery/treatment plan starts.....
I have a great report: The CT of my neck came back with the primary 90% identified. My chest CT came back clean (thanks god). My surgery was supposed to be both tonsils and a small affected area of the right BOT removed and a neck dissection. Now that the my team of ENT, Radiation oncologist and Chemo oncologist have…
-
Things that sting (and go bump in the night?)
My husband, Buzz is 3 months post treatment. Some foods still sting but we discovered Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix. Mixed with sour cream and thinned with milk, it is much more tolerable than any dressings he has tried. It seems every salad dressing has vinegar and/or lemon juice in it and he can't tolerate them. Also…