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"Wasted away in Margaritaville"
(Jimmy Buffett reference) A CSN friend of mine recently posted about waste, (um, food waste...not the other kind, thankfully), and made some valid points that I wanted to expand upon. I think I have mentioned recently that following Thanksgiving it has been difficult to figure out what is what in the fridges, due to the…
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"It's a god-awful small affair, said the girl with the mousy hair"
(David Bowie reference) My brother and his wife didn't make it up for Thanksgiving, due to an injury in the family (their cat was attacked by a werewolf or something in the night, surgery was required, and they were also both, at the same time, trying to quit smoking, not the werewolf or the cat (although that might…
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Egg Drop Soup
I mentioned to my nurse about the typical problem we all have with mucus. She suggested eating a bowl of egg drop soup. You get protein, fluids, etc.. and it helps to thin out the mucus. Long story short, I tried it and it works! It kept my mucus thin enough to be tolerable for a few hours, which was a nice respite from…
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When are we survivors?
Hi all. I was SSC one lymph in neck, primary unknown. Neck dissection, PEG, Chemo, IMRT, etc. Thirteen months out and feeling better than i have in 20 years. The treatment knocked 80 lbs off and I've been successful in keeping it off. Partial taste, lack of saliva and choking several times per meal of course bolster my…
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Today I had surgery to remove my chemo port
Today was my last day having my chemo port in at 9 clock this morning had surgery to remove it since I am cancer free now.
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Tu-be or Not Tu-be
OK, that was just the title, we’re talking tubes here. I am in the last week of an 8½ week course of 5x rads per wk and 2 chemos (wks 1 and 5- too sick for 3rd). I am HPV+ with an ex-primary in the rt tonsil (taken late Aug) then given a month to recover before starting rads and chemo for the rt lymph cancer. I actually…
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Moist sensation in mouth?
Hey, wait a minute . . . that's saliva! I'm about nine months out of treatment and have had two straight days and nights of some saliva. So, things can happen at any time for any of us. Some of us are dealt a tougher hand to build on, and I have ongoing treatment issues, but I'll take any break I can get. Coincidentally, I…
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doc said he could PROBABLY save dad's tongue and voicebox but wants to wake dad up out of surgery to
we went and seen the ENT and the plastic surgeon today, yes it was a nightmare... ENT plans on taking a third of the tongue, jaw and lymphnodes and is optismtic about base of tongue and voicebox... BUT if he looks in there while dad is out, he will wake my father up and ask him if its ok to take voicebox and tongue! no…
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robitussin DM / store brand tussin dm
Has anyone tried using Robitusin DM to thin mucus? Wondered if it works. I have not posted in awhile and had had my ups and downs. It's been a tough journey. But we all know that here. I have been trying to stay positive as that is half the battle. A big positive..I am in final week of radiation and final chemo today.…
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Return to work
So this last week my boss contacted me about trying to return to work for a short time to prevent the company from firing me. The company I work for has a policy to hold your job for one year, if I go back for one week it will reset the date. The problem is, I have a really bad feeling about going back. I love my job, but…
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first visit with radiation oncology
Dad met with the radiation oncologist yesterday. I feel very comfortable with her and the residents that also were there. He has a large tumor on the base of the tongue and a large tumor on the left lymph node. They are not going to do IMRT though...my understanding is she doesn't want to spare any area/tissue. Anyone else…
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We met NED today.
Awful day anxiety wise. Actually had to take a little anti-anxiety medication, I was so upset. Fortunately the CNA tipped us off that things looked okay as she was checking Mark in. For those of you who have not followed the story of Mark and would like to know what he started with, and how he ends up with this good…
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Where did the heartburn come from and how can I make it go away?
I never really had a problem with heartburn before, but...now I do.. Anyone else? What works the best? Thanks Stacey
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Are sweets bad for you during treatments
Hello Everyone, My wife is a patient at MD Anderson. She has base of tongue cancer which has spread to lymph nodes in neck. My question is a lot of people on this site have her sweets are bad for you. We asked our chemo doctor and she said sweets were no problem. We asked the radioligist and she said it was bad for your…
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Praise
I would like to take this Sunday morning to give praise and thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, God in heaven, and for the holy spirit that God blessed us with..
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My First Birthday
Today is my First birthday. Had my 12 month last week with a new ENT and had my CT before her visit and it came back NED. Chest & abdomen weren't back yet and will find out from the medonc next week if there was anything there. Time sure flew Wishe & prayers to those in treatment Dave
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Strange Sensation in Throat
OK In April I was diagnosed with SCC unknown primary with 1 lymph node positive with no extracapsular spread. I had a left neck dissection and tonsils removed. I have had no further treatments but lots of exams and a BOT biopsy. Lately I have noticed a new sensation and was wondering if anyone here ever felt something…
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STILL CANNOT SWALLOW REGULAR FOOD
I will be six weeks post treatment this Wednesday and the only thing I can swallow without trouble is liquids. My ENT visit 2 weeks ago revealed allow of esophageal swelling and a Barium Swallow Test revealed the same thing. My Medical Team wants to give it more time, and they put me on Prednisone for the swelling. Am I…
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Loss of sense of taste with radiation
I am finished with radiation - thank god - and wondering how long it took for everyone's sense of taste to return. I got fairly concise answers from the physicians and techs about the other side effects, but the return of taste response was very ambiguous. Perhaps it does vary greatly, but I thought I'd just throw it out…
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Made it Through the First Big Holiday
Hi all: Basketcase checking in here! Well, I made it through Thanksgiving! We had a good one and my sister-in-law and two nieces and I did some shopping while my brother stayed at home with his grandson and had a great visit with him at my house. We had to go to K-mart as my microwave conked out T'giving day and they had…
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We are all still here
Hi all. Just thought i'd post a positive thought for us survivors today. As we ponder our future and side effects and treatments. We are still here and living and amongst our wonderful caring families. We have not been taken suddenly like the poor miners in new Zealand. We are surviving. We are slightly tainted now. But we…
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questions about treatment
Hi everyone, My Dad has his first appointment at Wake Forest tomorrow and I will be going with him. I am sure I will find answers to many of my questions, but would like to be armed with some additional info as to what to expect as a caregiver. My Dad was wondering if the chemo and radiation will cause hair loss? (not that…
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Eating, the Aftermath
So, here is the aftermath and the final word from me on the subject (for now). Even when it seems like the end of the world, it is not. Remember that I had my surgery in October of 2005, more than five years ago (followed by chemo and rads), and am only now, for whatever reason (and I sincerely do not know why) getting it…
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Salavart better than Biotene!
Hello, Just wanted to say I'm a U.S. Public Health Nurse (USPHS.GOV) and I talked with some of my colleagues in the dental field and they say salavart works better than biotene for Saliva temp. replacement; also I've found that citrus orbit gum works just as good or better than biotene gum and is cheaper!!! Worth a shot…
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hyperbaric oxygen therapy
My husband was diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer in March and underwent 7 weeks of radiation and 7 rounds of chemotherapy. The tumor was at the base of his tounge and around his tonsil area and was to large to remove with surgery. After completion of his treatment May 25th he has had 1 pet scan and 2 biopsies because…
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"Don't fear the reaper"
(Blue Oyster Cult reference) Coming into this Thanksgiving, I tasked myself with making oysters rockefeller. Don't ask me why. I do not believe I've eaten them since I was a bus boy at the Officer's Club at NAS Norfolk WAAAY back in the day. They were, of course, free. But, we live at the beach and I felt like we needed to…
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Induction Chemotherapy with Cetuximab
My wife is starting induction chemotherapy with chemo drugs Docetaxel, Cisplatin and Flourouracil combined with Cetuximab. Her cancer is advanced and she has a rough road ahead. Her cancer was caused by the HPV virus which the doctor told her that her prognosis was better since it is related to HPV. We were told that…
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Mayo Clinic, Hondo & NED all go together
Well there is some very good news from the Mayo Clinic. They did a biopsy on me and it came back NED for any C, they still want to review the MD Anderson PET scan for a final judgment but as the doctor said with the biopsy being negative on any cancer she don’t think anything will change. As far as to why I am in so much…
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No need for pet scan
I went for my three Month check with scope and fingers. Doc said all looks good. It's funny how you have questions but some take time to ask. I guess for fear of the answers. But I finally asked about my staging for tonsil cancer which was stage 2. T1n1mo. Does anyone know about this info. Also I asked about when my next…
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Happy Thanksgiving
Just wanted to wish everyone here a happy Thanksgiving. You are all incredible people and words just can't do justice to how thankful I am for your love and support. As I am drinking my meals today I will be thinking on how many of you are doing the same or putting it down the tube and will offer up a prayer of gratitude…