Great survival story from Stage IV rare H&N

Tim6003
Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
Hello my H&N family! This was posted on facebook (one of the two H&N groups I belong to). She gave me permission to post here since she is not on this site. Her name is Lyn Challands. I hope it encourages someone!!! :)

Tim
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Not sure if I told you guys about my close friend Pams Husband, Russell. He's not on FB, although they are certainly Warriors..

Russell was diagnosed with STAGE FOUR Oral Cancer in January of 2009. He had a rare tumour in his Sinus Cavity the size of a LEMON. His only symptoms were typical sinus infections and tiredness. Finally, he got a blood nose that he couldn't stop, and was diagnosed. He was given SIX WEEKS to live if they couldn't get it (and they told him it was unlikely they would get it all). He was warned that it was 95% likely he'd lose his sight and his sense of smell....and even if they got it, he'd be in trouble as it had probably spread to lymph nodes etc..

He underwent hours and hours of surgery where they REMOVED his face....his eyes...his nose....and scraped out the tumor. They got it all.

He then went 12 weeks of intensive Chemo and Radiation. He also had to go on anti biotic therapy for 12 months, coz his forehead bone kept getting infected.
They even made him a new forehead out of titanium, ready to replace his damaged bone. But he didnt need it!

3,nearly 4 years later ; He has his full sight, and the cancer is NOWHERE to be found!!! He lost his sense of smell, but not taste. His eyesight is PERFECT, and he has a new job for the past 12 months. The prognosis is EXCELLENT.

They are constantly watching him (of course), but unless you knew, you can't tell by looking at him. He has a fine scar around his hairline, and a small one along his nose. So much for "Stage 4 with 6 weeks to live". HA!

Comments

  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    Inspirational !
    Tim,
    It's posts like this that make a huge impact on how we view- why we do- what we do- to fight the beast. THANK YOU ! And please extend this to your friend on FB....mircles happen every single day ! Awsome ! Katie
  • Billie67
    Billie67 Member Posts: 898

    Inspirational !
    Tim,
    It's posts like this that make a huge impact on how we view- why we do- what we do- to fight the beast. THANK YOU ! And please extend this to your friend on FB....mircles happen every single day ! Awsome ! Katie

    Wow!
    What an inspiring story! It was a very good idea to share it on here, I know this will be helpful to many. Please extend my congratulations to your friend so she can then extend it to her friend.
    I hope many people will see and read this amazing post.
    Billie
  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    Great to hear.....
    Thanks for sharing this with us Tim. It is great to hear such inspiring things.
  • ditto1
    ditto1 Member Posts: 660
    Good Story Tim
    Just shows us we never know, this man was a real warrior and glad he can now be a testimony for this crazy stuff called cancer and how to never give up.
  • Grandmax4
    Grandmax4 Member Posts: 723
    What an inspiration
    this person is, wow, I read this 3 times, it's just so fantastic...truly the work of God through His Doctors
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    Thanks, Tim
    LOVE these stories
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    proof
    great story, thanks for sharing

    goes to prove no matter how bad we have it there is someone out there that has it worse, fight the fight, and win.

    God is great

    john
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    fisrpotpe said:

    proof
    great story, thanks for sharing

    goes to prove no matter how bad we have it there is someone out there that has it worse, fight the fight, and win.

    God is great

    john

    Thank you Tim for posting
    Thank you Tim for posting this story. We all need inspiration and hope. This is a really rough week for my husband and the lowest I have been also. It helps to see anything positive because its so scary to let my mind wander.

    Joan
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member

    Thank you Tim for posting
    Thank you Tim for posting this story. We all need inspiration and hope. This is a really rough week for my husband and the lowest I have been also. It helps to see anything positive because its so scary to let my mind wander.

    Joan

    Posting
    Tim thanks for posting. Joan, keep your chin up, it will get better. Are you taking a bit of time out for yourself? As caregiver, you need to do that even if it's just an hour a week. In the middle of my tx, my sisters insisted they take my husband up to the casino a couple of hours. It pleased me to no end that he got a break and I slept thru the entire time he was gone anyway. It not only did him good but me too. Look after yourself. In the midst of tx I lost sight of the objective, it only came to me when I got my 1st scan results and NED. These are tough times but your husband will get through, like so many of us have.
  • VivianLee5689
    VivianLee5689 Member Posts: 546
    hwt said:

    Posting
    Tim thanks for posting. Joan, keep your chin up, it will get better. Are you taking a bit of time out for yourself? As caregiver, you need to do that even if it's just an hour a week. In the middle of my tx, my sisters insisted they take my husband up to the casino a couple of hours. It pleased me to no end that he got a break and I slept thru the entire time he was gone anyway. It not only did him good but me too. Look after yourself. In the midst of tx I lost sight of the objective, it only came to me when I got my 1st scan results and NED. These are tough times but your husband will get through, like so many of us have.

    Needing positive outcomes
    I am so glad to hear this story and to know that no matter what hope is not lost. This person was definitely a brave warrier and he will inspire many.
  • Hard12Find
    Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
    Thanks Tim
    Our god is an awsome god........
    Jim
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    Thanks so much for sharing!
    And so much for all of your posts. I am a bit quieter on this site than when I was going through treatment, but I still check in almost every day. It is good to know you are all here.
    Also you reminded me to update the information on the Head and Neck Facebook group.
    The title is H & N warriors (a group choice) and it was intended as an addition to this group, for those who like the option of facebook format. It is a private group, meaning that only members can see content. Members can be added by any other member, but they need to be facebook friends.


    What do you think of adding this info to the superthread, and if there is anyone who can correctly add the link location. I have forgotten any html snippets I ever knew.
    Thanks again
    Stacey