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Merry Christmas / Thank you / Update

ByeByeCancer
ByeByeCancer CSN Member Posts: 54
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi, just wanted to say Merry Christmas and a big thank you to you all! 

My husband is 6 weeks post treatment (HPV+ BOT SCC Stage IVa treated with 35 radiations and 8 Erbitux.  No PEG) and is doing pretty well.  This site was VERY VERY helpful in regards to reading about other people's experiences, tips, suggestions, etc.  Thank you to all who posted their stories!

My husband is doing well.  His mouth is drier than before, but he didn't lose all of his saliva so that was lucky.  His taste seems to be coming back...s l o w l y.  He drinks a few Ensure Enlive (or Orgain shakes) a day along with one or two homemade smoothies (with Benacalorie mixed in) along with trying a bit of almost everything.  Over the last couple days he eats a small plate of food with us for dinner.  :)  He lost about 25 pounds since the beginning of treatment but has been holding steady at 206 for the last month or so which is a weight he likes.  He considers the new leaner self to be a postivie of all of this. 

Thanks again to all who shared tips!  

:)
Sandra

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Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt CSN Member Posts: 4,727 Member
    #2
    x-mas

    Sandra,

    It sounds like you are having a Merry Christmas.  At his current healing rate, a good  new normal is just a short time away.

    Matt

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  • christine2080
    christine2080 CSN Member Posts: 71
    #3
    Merry Christmas!

    I want to echo Sandra’s (ByeByeCancer) sentiments! This site has also been a source of refuge, wisdom and support for me and for my husband (SSC BOT HPV+ stage IV). My husband is a month into recovery and improving steadily. He continues to drink 4 Ensures daily, but has started to eat a small plate of food with me. I am thrilled to be sharing meals together again! He also tries pretty much everything! His taste is slowly returning and I am optimistic about the reappearance of his taste buds! Saliva is still pretty much MIA, but I spent a few hours today reading suggestions (mainly from all of you on this site- thank you!). He is thrilled with his new weight and intends to stay there. His activity level is also getting back to normal. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas! I am so very happy to be sharing Christmas with my husband again this year!

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  • patricke
    patricke CSN Member Posts: 570 Member
    edited December 2017 #4
    Merry Christmas

    Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year Sandra!  It's great to hear that your husband's recovery is progressing swimmingly, and I wish for him to continue to move toward establishing a new normal.  Back in my olden days when I had desert mouth most of the time, Mouthkote was the product that kept my my mouth moist. My saliva glands miraculously began pumping out saliva again after my laryngectomy in 2011; go figure, you never know.  Keep It Mov'in Forward.      

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