Getting An Early Scan

NoDuck · September 2012

Hubby has developed a "spot" at the back of his tongue that the doc wants to scan. Dale is 7 weeks post tx for stage 3 tonsil cancer. This "spot" won't go away so the ENT has decided to do a CT scan next week.

Mouth sores were about the only side effect Dale did not have during or after his 34 rads and two rounds of cisplatin. The spot -- Dale describes it as a sore irritated spot but not an open ulcer type sore -- just came up about 2 weeks ago. The ENT looked and felt of it then and said it could just be irritation from all the mucous. Doc gave Dale some steroid cream to put on it but it did not get better. So today, ENT decided it needed a scan. Scan is next Thursday.

It's hard not to worry. Dale's recovery has been so slow, it is hard not to think that the cancer is still there. As he said the other day, " if the cancer was gone, I should feel better by now." We are to that impatient part of the recovery -- trying to balance doing more and not over doing it and sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Thanks for listening and thanks for your thoughts and prayers. We have not told any of our family about the spot deciding to wait until we know what, if anything, it is. But I knew I could share it with our CSN Family and you would understand. thanks.

Deb

blackswampboy · September 2012

respectfully, gotta take issue with the conclusion that not feeling better only 7 weeks post-tx indicates recurrence.
I'm now 10 weeks post-tx, and my mouth still gives me misery. but I've seen two oncs and my ENT in the past few weeks, and none of them saw any remnants of the carcinoma. despite my "slow" progress, I have no reason to think there is a recurrence.
my chemo onc told me that most people take 8-12 weeks to start getting past treatment side-effects, and looks like I'm at the 12-week end.

not trying to pass medical judgement on your husband's case, just saying that patience is important in cancer recovery. for a lot of us, it just takes time.

hoping that your husband passes the scan, and feels better soon.

Skiffin16 · September 2012

Anxiety
It's hard and takes a long time to not have anxiety over things that before cancer you would have never thought a second thought on.

It's always good to be pro-active, and if nothing else to get some security from the MD's.

More than likely it's still residual, like mentioned it takes a while, some longer than others.

My ENT always told me that you'll go through all kinds of changes for a year or two.... At over three years out now, he wasn't wrong.

Best,
John

CivilMatt · September 2012

early scan
Hi Deb,

It is probably good to have it check, but being this close to treatments (ending) I imagine it is nothing. So, good luck with the scan and keep on healing.

Best,

Matt

Tim6003 · September 2012

CivilMatt said:
early scan
Hi Deb,

It is probably good to have it check, but being this close to treatments (ending) I imagine it is nothing. So, good luck with the scan and keep on healing.

Best,

Matt

Hi Deb ...
I got you on my nightly prayer list (see my thread "would you like to be on a prayer list" ) ....I'm expecting a good scan!!!

I have to chime in on that "slow recovery" ...oh my did it ever seem like I was at the back of the bus in the getting better category....so I thought....but Dale is right where I was at....I remember telling my wife one morning "I don't know if I can take another day of this" ...the mucus, the pain...and I was at 7 weeks, just like Dale....then about 2 weeks later I woke up one morning ....form a terrible night sleep and I noticed the mucus was quite better....it was as if over night it was half of what it was the day before...now the pain continue for quite some time....but my energy was suddenly better and boy was I relieved the mucus was MUCH better ....

I truly believe it was the good Lord helping me out bc my wife was due to leave in just a few days at that time to go to her brothers wedding ...I was wondering how on earth I was going to keep five kids for 5 days on my own ...she was too ...and I did NOT want to ask her to miss her brothers wedding ...

Anyway ...sorry for chatting so much ...you tell Dale that before I hit the post button tonight I asked the good Lord to give Dale some attention on that spot and make sure it was not cancer!

Keep us posted...

Best,

Tim

NoDuck · September 2012

Thanks
Thanks to all. Your replies and a new morning with a cup of coffee on the porch watching a drizzling rain are invigorating. There's no whining in The Cancer Battle!!

I think it was the non-healing tongue sore ON TOP of the slow healing -- one we expected, the other we didn't.

I was honored to speak to a group of Oklahoma Army National Guard soldiers last weekend who are getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan. I learned a new phrase -- "Charlie Mike" which means "Continue Mission."

So Onward Cancer Fighting Soldiers. Charlie Mike!

Deb

katenorwood · September 2012

NoDuck said:
Thanks
Thanks to all. Your replies and a new morning with a cup of coffee on the porch watching a drizzling rain are invigorating. There's no whining in The Cancer Battle!!

I think it was the non-healing tongue sore ON TOP of the slow healing -- one we expected, the other we didn't.

I was honored to speak to a group of Oklahoma Army National Guard soldiers last weekend who are getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan. I learned a new phrase -- "Charlie Mike" which means "Continue Mission."

So Onward Cancer Fighting Soldiers. Charlie Mike!

Deb

Charlie Mike !
Hey Deb,
I love the remark of charlie mike.....and will use it ! And I also send out prayers to our wonderful service men and women out there ! Hope things improve soon for you guys ! I love the drizzling type of rain...and of coarse the cup of Joe ! Katie

Barbara B · September 2012

Patience
Hey Deb,

If I only had a nickel for each time someone said the word patience during recovery. But they were right. And I too (respectfully) need to take issue about not feeling great ONLY 7 weeks post treatment.

Time goes so slowly when we want something so badly. You will get there. As for the "spot", when my husband was diagnosed he had a lump on the right side of his neck that we were told would go away after the first week or so of radiation. To spare you the details, it FINALLY disappeared six weeks post treatment. I cannot tell you the fear each week when the onc would feel the lump and make a kind of confused face and then say, well, give it time.

As I am sure you know everyone is different, so hang in there.

Sending prayers your way.

Barbara

Skiffin16 · September 2012

NoDuck said:
Thanks
Thanks to all. Your replies and a new morning with a cup of coffee on the porch watching a drizzling rain are invigorating. There's no whining in The Cancer Battle!!

I think it was the non-healing tongue sore ON TOP of the slow healing -- one we expected, the other we didn't.

I was honored to speak to a group of Oklahoma Army National Guard soldiers last weekend who are getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan. I learned a new phrase -- "Charlie Mike" which means "Continue Mission."

So Onward Cancer Fighting Soldiers. Charlie Mike!

Deb

Here's another for you....

Read you Lima Charlie..... ~ Hear You Loud & Clear

Best,
John

fisrpotpe · September 2012

add
i agree with all that has been shared

may i add that so many during recovery forget. the radiation continues to cook for 6-9 weeks post treatment so the reactions during that time table are the usual "everyone reacts differently". plus the radiation causes damage to the blood vessels so that slows the healing down to what my doctors tell me is approx. 7 times slower that the old normal.

i know a local guy at about 9 weeks that went into a radiation reaction that lasted 4-5 weeks and slowed his recovery even more.

john

Getting An Early Scan

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