Good News Update!

bcrose1

It has been 5 years since I was diagnosed with stage III edinocarcinoma in my ethmoid sinus. At the time, I had suffered from a stuffy nose in just one nostril for about a year. I had gone to my GP several times before his substitute referred me to a specialist -within 5 minutes of that office visit. The specialist did an MRI, found a polyp, but did not see the cancer until he removed the polyp. The tumor was removed with the polyp. I had no idea what to do, but found this forum, which was very helpful, checked every Dr. Google, which was very frightening/very poor cure rates and very high recurrence rates... So, here I am paying back what I gained from this forum.

Upon diagnosis, my doctors said they had never seen this particular problem and told me I could choose my treatment because they had no case studies to base a successful treatment pathway upon. The tumor was already mostly removed with some remaining next to the very thin bone separating my ethmoid sinus from the brain. So, I could opt for any combination of surgery, chemo, and radiation. The details:

* I was 57 and in fantastic shape due to regular weight training & cardio.

* It took at least 1 month to find the doctors I needed. The lead doctor (radiation oncologist) was fantastic and helped me find an equally fantastic medical oncologist.

* I chose to try radiation + chemo first and if that didn't work, then surgery and more radiation + chemo. Because I was in good shape, both oncologists agreed and hit me with the largest doses possible.

 

* I worked from home for UnitedHealthcare, took treatments before starting workdays, never missed a day of work due to treatments, and didn't tell them I was sick until the day I left their employment.  ;-) 

* The tumor shrank; no additional surgery was needed! Treatment lasted about 7 weeks (if I remember correctly). I was left with severe tinnitus, which has since mostly faded. My eyebrows never fully grew back (not a problem -I'll never have the one-eyebrow look again!) Fatigue was pretty bad at first and I'm still not what I used to be...

* Quarterly checkups followed. 2nd PET scan showed a bad lymph node and doctor recommended removing all the nodes on that side of my neck. I agreed to have the one that showed up bad to be removed. It was removed, tested negative, that was done.

* Quarterly checkups continued; all good.

* It's the end of October, my "Cure" date is January 9, and I expect good news (knock wood) on that date. I'm told checkups will continue but drop to bi-annual.

* I'm back to "pretty good" physical shape (can do 15 pullups again) and fatigue + mood are greatly reduced with regular exercise. I need and take NO medications. None.

* I don't think about the "C" word very often now; only around checkup time and when I catch a stuffy nose! I won't and never did acknowledge I had the "C" word -preferring to call it a really bad cold. 

That's it / Bob's 'yer uncle! 

 

Sabrina23

So happy for you bcrose 1

So happy for you that all is going well.  Thank you for sharing your story and being on this forum has truly blessed me as well.  Prayers and thoughts are with you and continued healing and NED!

 

God Bless!

ERomanO

Great news!

Congrats!  Always nice to read these positive posts. Keep up the exercise regimen.  I know how it helps (except I now have to take a break due to back spasms).

Make sure and let us know how your January checkup goes.

big G

ERomanO said:

Great news!

Congrats!  Always nice to read these positive posts. Keep up the exercise regimen.  I know how it helps (except I now have to take a break due to back spasms).

Make sure and let us know how your January checkup goes.

Never gets old

Never gets old hearing these kind of success stories. Hope you get the cured words you are looking for. Congrats