I just wanted to say "thanks a million"

connieprice1
connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
edited February 2011 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
To ALL the great people on this site I just wanted to thank you for all the advice, comfort, wisdom and hope that you have given Connie & I. I remember my first post back in Oct. 2010 when I was really worried because I did not have insurance and I felt I had let Connie down by my ignorance. I was surprised the next day when I had 7-8 survivors answer my questions and also let us know that we were not alone. I have posted many times since then, sometimes when I was "up" and sometimes when I was "down". Everytime my posts were answered with encouragement and everytime they were appreciated. We have had a lot of miracles come our way since the beginning of this trail. Although Connie was diagnosed in early October we were blessed to receive assistance from M.D. Anderson Cancer Treatment Center in Houston, Tx. We had Connie's 1st doctor's visit Nov.16,(by then her 2 infected lymph nodes had tripled in size and were the size of 2 walnuts on her neck), I was afraid that it might be too late but that day we found out we had a surgeon, chemotherapy oncologist, radiation oncologist, all kinds of technicians, nurses, research nurses and volunteers that would be helping us get through this ordeal. We were busy doing blood test, scans, biopsys and exams for the next ten days and she received her 1st chemotherapy treatment on Nov.26,2010. It was the day after Thanksgiving and we had a lot to be thankful for. Connie was suppose to do 3 large doses of chemo but after her second one she wound up in the hospital for 34 days. Luckily the 2 treatments had shrunk the tumors down and her neck had returned to normal and our chemotherapy docter recommended she go ahead and start radiation asap. So 10 days later she started radiation and she finished her 15th treatment yesterday. Now we both know it will get tougher every treatment and her radiation oncologist has already warned her that if she loses any more weight the feeding tube is next. So don't get me wrong we have a long ways to go but this website has given us the hope and confidence that she can do it and I can give her the "caregiving" assistance she needs. I just thought I would thank everyone for their help for us and others because every word is "important" and every cancer patient and caregiver start at the same lonely dark place. When I look at my wife today, no hair (chemo) no teeth (she had top denture and 2 lower partials and 8 lower front teeth before treatment and her radiation oncologist recommended they be pulled, she has implants for permanent dentures after treatment) she will always be beautiful in my eyes. Sometimes I answer posts to try to help others with our experience and I love all the angels on this site. Keep up the good work! Thanks for EVERYTHING, Homer & Connie
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Comments

  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    Hi Homer and Connie
    So glad to hear that Connie is moving through the ordeal, and heading toward the finish line Homer. She's well on her way to membership in the Tough Cookie Club. Male care givers who post, like you, Clear, and not many others, are a pleasure to hear from and support.

    I know there are many male spouses, friends, and boyfriends, who offer love and support to their partners through treatment, but you have been very active in seeking advice, pushing, and advocating in a way that shows how much you love and value Connie. Thanks for being there for her, and us. You've both still got some rough road to go, but most of the uphill is behind you.

    Be sure and checkout Sweetblood's new and great compilation of links to the latest discussions on nutrition, throat care after radiation, and a extremely helpful roundup of threads she strung together to help ease the seach for recovery information. Just put "Superthread" in the CSN search for head and neck area,and it will come up.

    my thoughts are with both of you, Hal
  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    Inspiring people
    Homer, there are so many inspiring people on this forum, they are always there to help in any way they can and I am appreciative of their help also.

    Happy to hear that Connie is doing better and hope she continues on that path.

    Stay well and stay strong,
    Glenna
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    Glenna M said:

    Inspiring people
    Homer, there are so many inspiring people on this forum, they are always there to help in any way they can and I am appreciative of their help also.

    Happy to hear that Connie is doing better and hope she continues on that path.

    Stay well and stay strong,
    Glenna

    Halfway to finish line.
    Homer I am glad that Connie has you by her side. Hope that the rest of her treatment continues going well.
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member

    Halfway to finish line.
    Homer I am glad that Connie has you by her side. Hope that the rest of her treatment continues going well.

    Homer
    Great to get the update on Connie, and you. Sorry to hear about the Chemo problem and hospital stay, but that's H&N. I was only in for 4 days, so Connie beat me by 30, and I can't figure-out what her complaint is, LOL! It's a rough road, Homer. Reckon Connie found herself a "keeper" when you two got together, and you best believe she knows it and has thoughts along those lines many times every day, now, as she fights the fight we have, and she needs you more than ever. The history you two are living might not seem the best of times, but I trust the day will come when you two look back on it as a time far more special than you do, now. Connie will win this fight, and she'll know she didn't win it alone, as none of us do.

    Going forward, she's in the home stretch with the light at the end of the tunnel getting a little brighter every day that you count one more of the rads off. You get ready for that day when you two emerge from that danged tunnel, Homer, and the C has been beaten. That day's getting much closer.

    Believe

    kcass
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    Kent Cass said:

    Homer
    Great to get the update on Connie, and you. Sorry to hear about the Chemo problem and hospital stay, but that's H&N. I was only in for 4 days, so Connie beat me by 30, and I can't figure-out what her complaint is, LOL! It's a rough road, Homer. Reckon Connie found herself a "keeper" when you two got together, and you best believe she knows it and has thoughts along those lines many times every day, now, as she fights the fight we have, and she needs you more than ever. The history you two are living might not seem the best of times, but I trust the day will come when you two look back on it as a time far more special than you do, now. Connie will win this fight, and she'll know she didn't win it alone, as none of us do.

    Going forward, she's in the home stretch with the light at the end of the tunnel getting a little brighter every day that you count one more of the rads off. You get ready for that day when you two emerge from that danged tunnel, Homer, and the C has been beaten. That day's getting much closer.

    Believe

    kcass

    Hi Homer
    Glad to hear that you are both doing well; I too like MD Anderson I think it is a great place. Like everyone I too am just glad to be here and be able to help someone else who is in need.

    God bless and keep you both
    Hondo
  • honeybelle22
    honeybelle22 Member Posts: 70
    ON YOUR SIDE
    Hi there, I wasn't here when you started to post....but you story and faith touched my heart. So, I want you to know you have another friend routing for you both. I will keep you in my prayers...and thoughts and please keep posting.
    I had all my teeth removed too so that can be a shock but it not so bad when you get used to it. But I was advised not to wear dentures while at home during rad and chemo. I had them made during the time I was in treatment. Funny story to make you laugh...My Dentist is a patient of my ENT doc. So.. while knocked out for one of my bios. my ENT pulled balance of teeth. Later he said..."Well...I saved you money>" LOL. And he did. My dentist said yep...he would do that. I had no idea they cooked this up.
    Again...go easy...keep the faith. How lucky you both are for the love you share.
    Roze
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Faith, Family & Friends
    Hi Homer & Connie,

    Glad you are progressing well into the treatment...hoping you are soon to start seeing light at the end of this tunnel.

    Thoughts and Prayers,
    John
  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    Skiffin16 said:

    Faith, Family & Friends
    Hi Homer & Connie,

    Glad you are progressing well into the treatment...hoping you are soon to start seeing light at the end of this tunnel.

    Thoughts and Prayers,
    John

    Another great caregiver
    Homer,

    Sounds like Connie is lucky to have you (and vice-versa). I can relate to Connie on having an awsome caregiver, which she definitely has. Good for her! My wife was great for me as well. I truely do not know if I would have made it thru the hell of treatments if it were not for her. I've followed your posts and can tell you are there for Connie thru it all. Good for you!!

    Positive thoughts to you both!

    Greg
  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    Greg53 said:

    Another great caregiver
    Homer,

    Sounds like Connie is lucky to have you (and vice-versa). I can relate to Connie on having an awsome caregiver, which she definitely has. Good for her! My wife was great for me as well. I truely do not know if I would have made it thru the hell of treatments if it were not for her. I've followed your posts and can tell you are there for Connie thru it all. Good for you!!

    Positive thoughts to you both!

    Greg

    Feeding Tube
    Homer
    I just wanted to say that the radiation will make it very difficult to swallow as time goes on. I'm sure they told you this, but the feeding tube can help Connie hold her weight. Even gain some weight if you do a lot of calories. Don't be afraid of the tube. I've had mine in for 12 months and will have it removed after 13 months, but I couldn't have gotten through this with as much energy and strength without the tube. Tell connie to go for it. I recommend it for helping her in the process of healing.
    I had 36 rads and 6 chemo treatments for base of tongue and lymph node tumors. Been done for 10 months and now I an NED, as of January 2011. There is hope and there is a better time for Connie. Tell her to believe me on this. Give her much love, she'll need it during the next few months.
    all the best,
    Steve
  • 3Mana
    3Mana Member Posts: 811
    Glad we could help
    Not sure if I've met you on here before, but glad to hear that Connie is doing better! I was a caregiver for my husband and everyone on here always gave me so much support also. It's a great web site, so keep posting with updates. It's always so good to hear that someone is doing good. Take care! "Carole"
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    3Mana said:

    Glad we could help
    Not sure if I've met you on here before, but glad to hear that Connie is doing better! I was a caregiver for my husband and everyone on here always gave me so much support also. It's a great web site, so keep posting with updates. It's always so good to hear that someone is doing good. Take care! "Carole"

    caregiver is very important job
    Carole, Nice to meet you. I hope your husband is doing well. Connie is doing good but she has a long ways to go. I appreciate your concern and hope to keep corresponding in the future. Homer & Connie
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    Greg53 said:

    Another great caregiver
    Homer,

    Sounds like Connie is lucky to have you (and vice-versa). I can relate to Connie on having an awsome caregiver, which she definitely has. Good for her! My wife was great for me as well. I truely do not know if I would have made it thru the hell of treatments if it were not for her. I've followed your posts and can tell you are there for Connie thru it all. Good for you!!

    Positive thoughts to you both!

    Greg

    Life is Good
    Greg, I appreciate the compliment although I am still learning how to caregive, I care and love Connie but I just do the best I can on the caregiving. Dishes, Clean house, Laundry etc.. it's a whole new ballgame for me. I have found that just taking things one day at a time works best! That fish in your hand looks like a big mouth bass, big one too. Life Is Good!! We wish you the best, Homer & Connie
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228

    Life is Good
    Greg, I appreciate the compliment although I am still learning how to caregive, I care and love Connie but I just do the best I can on the caregiving. Dishes, Clean house, Laundry etc.. it's a whole new ballgame for me. I have found that just taking things one day at a time works best! That fish in your hand looks like a big mouth bass, big one too. Life Is Good!! We wish you the best, Homer & Connie

    Homer
    Trust me. Even though all that stuff is a whole new ball game for you, I am sure you are doing a great job. I had to do all that stuff on my own and it was so hard. It is a relief when some one is there with you when you go through this stuff.
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    Greg53 said:

    Another great caregiver
    Homer,

    Sounds like Connie is lucky to have you (and vice-versa). I can relate to Connie on having an awsome caregiver, which she definitely has. Good for her! My wife was great for me as well. I truely do not know if I would have made it thru the hell of treatments if it were not for her. I've followed your posts and can tell you are there for Connie thru it all. Good for you!!

    Positive thoughts to you both!

    Greg

    Good Luck
    Good Luck to everyone.
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member

    Homer
    Trust me. Even though all that stuff is a whole new ball game for you, I am sure you are doing a great job. I had to do all that stuff on my own and it was so hard. It is a relief when some one is there with you when you go through this stuff.

    What can I say.
    Sweetblood, You have helped so many people with your posts. I know you have had your share of problems with your recovery and we pull for you everyday. The advice that a survivor can give is "priceless". I went to you superthread to read the helpful advice and I could not beleive how much information is in there. That info will help thousands of people some day, there are so many topics covered in one site. You are a blessing to many cancer patients. Keep it up. Your friends, Homer & Connie
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    Skiffin16 said:

    Faith, Family & Friends
    Hi Homer & Connie,

    Glad you are progressing well into the treatment...hoping you are soon to start seeing light at the end of this tunnel.

    Thoughts and Prayers,
    John

    John & Dawn
    Hey John, Their is something in your's & Dawn's picture that shows your happiness. I can tell that you have fought long and hard to get to where you are today. I also read your post and am elated to hear all is going well for you. The light is getting bigger for us as we move ahead in Connie's treatment although I can honestly tell you I am scared of what lies ahead over the next few months. Hopefully we will get through it ok. I posted on the "Where are you now site so hopefully next time we will be included" Best of Luck to you both, Homer & Connie
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228

    What can I say.
    Sweetblood, You have helped so many people with your posts. I know you have had your share of problems with your recovery and we pull for you everyday. The advice that a survivor can give is "priceless". I went to you superthread to read the helpful advice and I could not beleive how much information is in there. That info will help thousands of people some day, there are so many topics covered in one site. You are a blessing to many cancer patients. Keep it up. Your friends, Homer & Connie

    Thank you.
    That's very kind of you to say. I figure if I had to endure all this crap it won't be for naught if I can help the next person that comes along, even if it's just in some small way.
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member

    ON YOUR SIDE
    Hi there, I wasn't here when you started to post....but you story and faith touched my heart. So, I want you to know you have another friend routing for you both. I will keep you in my prayers...and thoughts and please keep posting.
    I had all my teeth removed too so that can be a shock but it not so bad when you get used to it. But I was advised not to wear dentures while at home during rad and chemo. I had them made during the time I was in treatment. Funny story to make you laugh...My Dentist is a patient of my ENT doc. So.. while knocked out for one of my bios. my ENT pulled balance of teeth. Later he said..."Well...I saved you money>" LOL. And he did. My dentist said yep...he would do that. I had no idea they cooked this up.
    Again...go easy...keep the faith. How lucky you both are for the love you share.
    Roze

    Roze
    Roze, So nice to hear from you. Connie had her teeth pulled during biopsy while asleep. She will be glad to get her new teeth, they will be permanent dentures. I do feel bad for her because she hasn't had solid food in 3 months and it could be another 3 months before she gets her new dentures. I would like to welcome you to this site, it seems like you have been here forever "you fit right in" Take care and keep in touch, Homer & Connie
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    Hondo said:

    Hi Homer
    Glad to hear that you are both doing well; I too like MD Anderson I think it is a great place. Like everyone I too am just glad to be here and be able to help someone else who is in need.

    God bless and keep you both
    Hondo

    Hondo
    Hondo, It is always nice to read your posts. I just missed you when you came to MD Anderson not too long ago. I would have loved to have came up to the 10th floor to meet you. I hope you have had some relief from the symptoms you were experiencing. Cancer is frustrating in that it seems, like you have said everything is automatically a side effect. I don't know how you stay so "positive". I read a post today and someone on the site called you "Hondo the Great" and I thought how appropriate that term fit you. Although you seem to have your hands full, you always find the time to help others. I wish you nothing but the best my friend, you deserve it, Homer & Connie
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    Kent Cass said:

    Homer
    Great to get the update on Connie, and you. Sorry to hear about the Chemo problem and hospital stay, but that's H&N. I was only in for 4 days, so Connie beat me by 30, and I can't figure-out what her complaint is, LOL! It's a rough road, Homer. Reckon Connie found herself a "keeper" when you two got together, and you best believe she knows it and has thoughts along those lines many times every day, now, as she fights the fight we have, and she needs you more than ever. The history you two are living might not seem the best of times, but I trust the day will come when you two look back on it as a time far more special than you do, now. Connie will win this fight, and she'll know she didn't win it alone, as none of us do.

    Going forward, she's in the home stretch with the light at the end of the tunnel getting a little brighter every day that you count one more of the rads off. You get ready for that day when you two emerge from that danged tunnel, Homer, and the C has been beaten. That day's getting much closer.

    Believe

    kcass

    Kent
    Kent, I don't know how you have managed to keep your sense of humor through all of the misery but it is very refreshing. I, like you, hope someday to look back on this and take something positive from it although I am not yet sure what that will be. Kent I have always thought your posts have such a positive tone and you have passed out a lot of hope to others. I have appreciated all your posts to us and keep that great sense of humor. Your friends, Homer & Connie