Really Needed a Good Day

jthornsbury

Friends,

The first of many scans (CT Lungs) I will take on this journey came back clear after the "official" diagnosis.  The first step of a thousand step journey...followup with ENT on Monday and we have sent primlinary reports to MD Anderson in Houston  and waiting on them to set up a new patient appointment for the full rundown.  Nothing against the wonderful ENT and hospital I have recieved my primary treatment from but MD is only four hours away and knowing how to kick butt on this disease is all they do.

i know there are many difficult days ahead before reaching that point of dancing but really needed a "good day" today.  ENT is still thinking through the staging of possible late II or early III SCC Tonsil with Lymph node involved.  So I am going to enjoy the weekend here in the sunny Lone Star State, hug my wife and love on my kids!!!

Blessings to you all!

Jon

 

NJShore

Congrats on you good news!

JT,

you are going to do just fine.. The waiting til you 'get started' is not easy.. Soon you'll that've your plan in place and be working it before you know it. Good choice on MDA, they took great care of my Dad.

Kari

phrannie51

No sense in worrying about the Staging....

as it doesn't change the treatment plan much if at all.  If you end up going to MDA, they'll stage it themselves, anyway.   So you enjoy the weekend, love up your wife and babies.....and get to start seeing the world with a whole new set of eyes (this is one of the payoff's of cancer....one of the plusses....).  You're in a state where you can enjoy the weather, too!! Up here we enjoy it by looking out the windows and wishing for spring....LOL.

p

Tim6003

phrannie51 said:

No sense in worrying about the Staging....

as it doesn't change the treatment plan much if at all.  If you end up going to MDA, they'll stage it themselves, anyway.   So you enjoy the weekend, love up your wife and babies.....and get to start seeing the world with a whole new set of eyes (this is one of the payoff's of cancer....one of the plusses....).  You're in a state where you can enjoy the weather, too!! Up here we enjoy it by looking out the windows and wishing for spring....LOL.

p

Sounds like a good plan Jon ..

NO matter the stage you got MD on your side, you got clear lungs (if I read that correctly) and you got your wife and kids by your side ...all you need now is some cheese grits and hush-puppies and you will have a slice of heaven my friend...

 

Whispered a prayer before Ihit post you are dancing in the front of the bus soon ...

 

Best,

Tim

CivilMatt

sounds good

Jon,

 

Sounds like you are getting ready for a ride.  The results of the lung scans sounds good and you have selected a good team to do your planning.

 

Enjoy your week-end, try to relax (good luck).

 

Matt

jcortney

Be Prepared to be Impressed

I went to MD in the very early stage of figuring out what to do with my initial diagnosis (SQ BOT N2C).  In two days I saw a surgeon, ONC, RAD, Dentist, PHD in all things of the throat who actaully did a video down to the base of my tongue where the tumor was clearly visible, had a cat scan and then had a meeting with the Chair of the H&N Department (luck of the draw I think) where we went over all those reports.  This was on a Tuesday and Wednesday, on Friday I had the minutes of the meeting of the tumor board and my treatment plan.

Can you say whoooooossshh.

We made a personal decisision not to treat at MD as we found a H&N group here in Dallas with which we just clicked.  We did use the MD treatment plan however.

Suggestion, do your research and find a hotel now.  They fill up quickly.

 

Best of luck,

 

Joe Cortney

Dallas, TX

jthornsbury

jcortney said:

Be Prepared to be Impressed

I went to MD in the very early stage of figuring out what to do with my initial diagnosis (SQ BOT N2C).  In two days I saw a surgeon, ONC, RAD, Dentist, PHD in all things of the throat who actaully did a video down to the base of my tongue where the tumor was clearly visible, had a cat scan and then had a meeting with the Chair of the H&N Department (luck of the draw I think) where we went over all those reports.  This was on a Tuesday and Wednesday, on Friday I had the minutes of the meeting of the tumor board and my treatment plan.

Can you say whoooooossshh.

We made a personal decisision not to treat at MD as we found a H&N group here in Dallas with which we just clicked.  We did use the MD treatment plan however.

Suggestion, do your research and find a hotel now.  They fill up quickly.

 

Best of luck,

 

Joe Cortney

Dallas, TX

Thanks Joe

We live in Canton Texas but had lived in Houston for eight years so have lots of friends to stay with as down for the evaluation.  Can I ask where in Dallas you are receiving treatment and how are things going? 

Have a good day and then lose it and have a bad one as so many unknowns and see too many things that make me so depressed.  Thanks for the encouraging note.

 

Jon

jthornsbury

jcortney said:

Be Prepared to be Impressed

I went to MD in the very early stage of figuring out what to do with my initial diagnosis (SQ BOT N2C).  In two days I saw a surgeon, ONC, RAD, Dentist, PHD in all things of the throat who actaully did a video down to the base of my tongue where the tumor was clearly visible, had a cat scan and then had a meeting with the Chair of the H&N Department (luck of the draw I think) where we went over all those reports.  This was on a Tuesday and Wednesday, on Friday I had the minutes of the meeting of the tumor board and my treatment plan.

Can you say whoooooossshh.

We made a personal decisision not to treat at MD as we found a H&N group here in Dallas with which we just clicked.  We did use the MD treatment plan however.

Suggestion, do your research and find a hotel now.  They fill up quickly.

 

Best of luck,

 

Joe Cortney

Dallas, TX

Thanks Joe

We live in Canton Texas but had lived in Houston for eight years so have lots of friends to stay with as down for the evaluation.  Can I ask where in Dallas you are receiving treatment and how are things going? 

Have a good day and then lose it and have a bad one as so many unknowns and see too many things that make me so depressed.  Thanks for the encouraging note.

 

Jon