7 week follow up

ian1511
ian1511 Member Posts: 42
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I went to see my rad/onc doc on 7/12 for 7 week follow up. He had not seen me for 3 weeks and the first thing he said was, "Who's this guy?" He said I looked great compared to the guy 3 weeks earlier with the burnt and peeling neck, unable to open his mouth or swallow, etc. I seemed relatively normal now in comparison. I still have some darkened skin on both sides of my neck that has lightened a little where I was burnt.

I think this is great news: He decided to do a flexible scope up my nose. In late April my ENT had done one and the rad/onc also did one. While up my nasopharynx, this time, he could not find the tumor (it was slightly larger than 2x3 cm), no residue whatsoever and no inflammation. He only found some snot in my nose. I did have two necrotic lymph nodes on the same side of the primary which was slightly right of middle behind my nose.

He said that his finding was very promising. I am scheduled for my PET post 11 weeks on Aug 16. I keep praying.

I was also released to return to work fulltime on July 25. I'm hoping I'll be able to cope. I am a nurse practitioner and care for about 150 elderly patients in 3 nursing homes. It can get stressful, especially if we are gong through flu season, etc.

Please let me know if you have any thoughts regarding the scope finding or anything in my post.

Thanks,

Darren

Comments

  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #2
    Do I Have Any Thoughts?
    You bet! Woo Hoo! Glad to hear you're recovering in a spectacular manner. Hope you can manage the return to work just as well.
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #3
    CONGRATS
    Way to go on the 7 week good news.

    Enjoy and live life.

    Best!!

    Mike
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #4
    Great Progress
    Darren, sounds great so far. Just don't push it too hard at first when you return to work. If possible, try to ease into it. You'll need to build up your strength and stamina.

    Having a PET scan at 11 weeks may show some hot spots which may turn out to be false positives. Many times these hot spots are lingering inflammation from the treatment. It showed up on my PET/CT scan 6 months post tx and the same has happened to others. Just something to be aware of. Good luck with the scan. Cheers.

    Jimbo

    Jimbo
  • ian1511
    ian1511 Member Posts: 42
    #5
    Jimbo55 said:

    Great Progress
    Darren, sounds great so far. Just don't push it too hard at first when you return to work. If possible, try to ease into it. You'll need to build up your strength and stamina.

    Having a PET scan at 11 weeks may show some hot spots which may turn out to be false positives. Many times these hot spots are lingering inflammation from the treatment. It showed up on my PET/CT scan 6 months post tx and the same has happened to others. Just something to be aware of. Good luck with the scan. Cheers.

    Jimbo

    Jimbo

    Hot Spots
    Thanks all. Jimbo, I have heard this. Part of our discussion was when I should follow up with ENT. I told the radiation oncologist that I feared that ENT was geared to cutting/surgery often to follow up on "hot spots" often to find nothing. I'm not crazy about being cut into, especially in the neck region. The rad onc doc told me to always discuss things with him if someone wants to cut into me and he will offer another perspective.
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #6
    ian1511 said:

    Hot Spots
    Thanks all. Jimbo, I have heard this. Part of our discussion was when I should follow up with ENT. I told the radiation oncologist that I feared that ENT was geared to cutting/surgery often to follow up on "hot spots" often to find nothing. I'm not crazy about being cut into, especially in the neck region. The rad onc doc told me to always discuss things with him if someone wants to cut into me and he will offer another perspective.

    Love good news
    and thanks so much for sharing. Enjoy these well deserved high moments. My only concern is to watch your compromised immune system in your work environment.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #7
    Congrats Darren
    Sounds like you have definitely turned the corner and steaming a head.....

    Best,
    John
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #8
    Hi Darren
    Sounds like some very good news, I love it when they look and only see snot..

    Hondo
  • ian1511
    ian1511 Member Posts: 42
    #9
    Hondo said:

    Hi Darren
    Sounds like some very good news, I love it when they look and only see snot..

    Hondo

    Speaking of which
    Is snot common post treatment? I seem to get plugged off and on in my right nostril. And I'm swallowing that thick whatever down my throat off and on. Yes, mouth is still dry. I do have a slightly deviated septum. Just curious.

    BTW, I enjoyed today very fully. I was testing my stamina. Went to the Green Bay Botanical gardens and was able to hoof it around for a couple hours, and drive for 2 hours and have a nice lunch. It felt good.

    Darren
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #10
    ian1511 said:

    Speaking of which
    Is snot common post treatment? I seem to get plugged off and on in my right nostril. And I'm swallowing that thick whatever down my throat off and on. Yes, mouth is still dry. I do have a slightly deviated septum. Just curious.

    BTW, I enjoyed today very fully. I was testing my stamina. Went to the Green Bay Botanical gardens and was able to hoof it around for a couple hours, and drive for 2 hours and have a nice lunch. It felt good.

    Darren

    Lubrication
    Please tell me it snot true....

    Well, just think of it as being self lubricating, LOL.....

    More than likely the saliva situation will improve...just the healing takes a long slooooow time.

    Best,
    John

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