Questions for doctor

Daddisgrl said:

HPV
Hi Tony; whats "funny" is that I had just had an HPV test at the GYN right before my hub was diagnosed. I just had another today. The only option that I know of is women getting tested for HPV during their yearly GYN appointment. Some insurance companies won't pay for testing every year. There is no test for men.

There is a Gardasil vaccine for teens & young adults but it only "protects" against 4 strains & they don't know how long the vaccine will last & if it will even help. What they also do not tell you is that you may end up with one of the side effects. Young; healthy teens are now bedridden from it. Since my daughter already has body ache/muscle problems; she will not be getting it.

There may be something better in the next few years; so we're waiting.

Exactly
You have found pretty much what I have found and stated above as well.

The bad part is not knowing when or how you might have been infected. But like I and others mentioned, it could have been decades ago (man I'm geting old).

Most of the time your body fights off these things, sometimes not.

JG

Daddisgrl said:

Questions updated
I just updated it.

HPV and males
Note that while we males may not be able to be tested, our tumors certainly can be. That's how I know mine was Sweet 16. (Someone smarter than I am certainly knows HOW they do this. Like so much else relevant to this, I just accept that it works.)

Great job. I will pass this along to my coordinating nurses, etc. next time I see them if you don't mind. Doug

Additional Comment ~ Blood Chemistry & Hematology Reports
Not neccessarily something to bring uo to the MD's, but of personal note....

Each time before chemo and various other times inbetween, I'd have a Blood Chemistry & Hematology Report done.

This served as a roadmap as to whether I was able to have chemo that day, and anything else going on, infections, etc....

I highly recommend asking for a hardcopy for your own records. For me they haved served as a very good indicator of any changes, a base from when I started completely through completion and back to post readings.

I started with the base and everything being within normal ranges (January 2009 - March 2010) before all blood work came back normal. I have the most recent which was about two weeks ago.

Now of course showing the TSH and Free T4, TSH has been wacked out for around 18 months...indicating Thyroid damage from the radiation.

Anyways, thought it good to mention..sometimes we don't think of these things in the heat of battle...

Best,
John

Daddisgrl said:

John; I've wanted to do a
John; I've wanted to do a tips post. A guy from another forum & I were discussing it; we just haven't gotten that far. Might be a good topic to get going.

Sounds Good
Either Dawn (Sweetblood) can help if needed, her Superthread is pretty awesome...

JG

Skiffin16 said:

LOL - Sorry Dawn
I meant to say above either you or myself, somehow it just came out you....

Gah! *coughsputterspit*
That's fine John. Lol. I'm more upset that she didn't know about the Superthread!

Can't be helpful if people don't know it's there.

Goalie said:

Slight editing
I think that, in the spirit of Skiffin and in light of our recent discussions on another thread I would suggest that 26

26. What type of Dr do we need to care for the feeding tube?

be more like:

26. Will I need a feeding tube and what type of Dr do we need to care for it?

Beyond that, I think this is a terrific effort and only wish that we had had these nine months ago. I think that something very much like this should be handed out in the very fist meeting with the docs. I say this not because I think the docs or the hospital is hiding anything. My docs (and nurses) were wonderful and answered every question we had openly and truthfully and I trust(ed) them absolutely. But more and more complete information sooner is definitely to the patient's benefit.

Doug

I had also-
thought of editing #26, Doug. But a bit differently. You didn't have a PEG. No Dr. cares for the PEG, Doug. A Surgeon installs it, then the patient is handed-over the a Home Healthcare place, where a technician explains the ropes, and sets-up the supplies. In all honesty, I was negatively surprised that no Dr really dealt with the PEG, other than to put it in and later take it out. Nobody at my Onco office even seemed to know much about them, actually.

So, my edit would be:
Will I need or benefit by getting a feeding tube, and who will show me how to care for it and get me the feeding supplies I will use?

kcass

sweetblood22 said:

Gah! *coughsputterspit*
That's fine John. Lol. I'm more upset that she didn't know about the Superthread!

Can't be helpful if people don't know it's there.

Superthread...

SUPERTHREAD

swelling in throat

I wish i had asked these questions when my wife first went to the ENT. Well Radiation done on 4/13,   3 Biopsy's later Trach inserted 1/24/14 Shiley#4. Was told would be temporary but now she has swelling, no cancer....the cure destroyed her throat. Did anyone here ever have the swelling for a long period of time? We are new to this site and i am very confused as to what can be done. Any other surgery to open throat. She had the lump on her voicebox i forgot to mention.