7 years out

denistd
denistd Member Posts: 597
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Around this time in 2009 I started chemo and radiation for stage 3 laryngeal cancer. 7 weeks of IMRT rads and 3 high dose cisplatin infusions.  Although I suffered some bad side affects managed to get the whole thing done as scheduled. Tha chemo caused some kidny damage which has not changed over the years and there are no symptoms of this. New things keep popping up as time goes by, I have had som new cancer, lung, skin and now prostate cancer. The lung cancer was discovered ion 2012 when it was only a few millimeters and was removed in it's entirety by the biopsy, skin cancers were squamous cell and removed. I am 72 years old and prostate cancer in an older man is not unexpected, it is of the lowest grade and has not changed over three years. I have neuropathy in both feet and a little in my hands. Dry mouth worsens a little as time goes by but not much of a bother. Tinnitus is there but I only hear it when I think of it. Thyroid is still functioning a little but I expect it to drop dead this year, I take meds for this. Lost all of my teeth as they kept breaking off and gums have shrunk so I have to glue my dentures in which is a pain in the ****. Neck ligament pain started around October last year. Still suffer from fatigue now and then but nothing drastic. Gerd for which I take protonix. Soft palate is still affected by sweet things especially chocolate and aspiration gets worse as time goes by, I manage this by making sure I drink right and don't breathe in my saliva, this can lead to coughing spells ending with a couple of hefty sneezes. So all in all not bad. Leading my life pretty normally and looking forward to our vacation fishing on Cape Cod this June. Denis

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #2
    7 years

    Denis,

    You make having cancer and getting older sound pretty sweet.

    “All in all not bad” sums up a good attitude and fishing at Cape Cod probably is the best saved for last.

    Best always,

    Matt

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #3
    Happy to hear

    Always good to hear from the long-timers!

  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 728 Member
    #4
    Noellesmom said:

    Happy to hear

    Always good to hear from the long-timers!

    Good Stuff

    It is always so nice to hear from a member that they haven't  had a recurrance.  You are one of the people that was here when I first joined, scared and needing some support.  May the rest of your days be NED and you end up dying of plain old age!

    Congratulations,

     

    Tom

  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #5
    Great News

    wonderful to read about your 7 years 

  • MrsBD
    MrsBD Member Posts: 617 Member
    #6
    Thank you

    Thank you for the inspiration! 

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    #7
    Denis

    Glad to hear you're still pushing forward. Sometimes when we stop and look back and realize what we had to go through it's best we grab ourselves by the back of the head and whack ourselves forward. Some of us have a few more hurdles than others but I have come to realize when you hesitate too long at one the future is passing us by. Glad to hear your looking forward to Cape Cod, thats always a good sign your pushing forward.

    Enjoy the day.................I do..............every one of them

          Jeff

  • the_wife
    the_wife Member Posts: 184
    #8
    Happy 7th Anniversary

    Wow, amazing...You have been through so much and yet have come through it all a-ok. Congratulations - you are a 4 times survivor!!! Have a fantastic fishing trip on Cape Cod - send us some pics if you think of it!! Smile 

Discussion Boards