Diagnosis not good

Sorry for your Dx..., stay positive and as long as you are alive, miracles are possible...

I had both Cisplatin and 5FU during my Tonsils cancer Tx... Cisplatin can be hard on you so make sure theat you let them know anything going on out of the norm.. Things like hearing loss, neuropathy, kidney damage, etc...

I didn't really have anything going on as for 5FU. It was administered through a pump and port. They would put the pump in a fanny pack pn Monday, and it would continuously pump every 30 seconds or so until it ran out Thursday night...

Stay very, very hydrated and flush the drugs out...

Prayers,

John

Mike, it is always so hard to hear/read a dx such as yours.  please don't give up, like john said, miracles still happen.  you will be in my prayers.  please keep us posted.

God bless you, Mike.

dj

Mike, Jim was given less than a year one and a half years ago. His BOT cancer had spread to both lungs. The cisplatin they gave him during original treatment damaged his kidneys so they had to stop it. They offered erbitux but he chose quality of life rather than quantity. He was 77 at the time. Choosing to fight or not is a personal decision. I have seen people suffer treatment only because family wanted them to and I have seen others fight because they wanted to and beat the beast. Only you can choose. I believe in miracles and I pray that you recieve one.

Debbie

First and foremost if your still in fight mode.....put the gloves back on.  There are a few here on site doing trials.  I don't have any experience with chemo.  but it sounds like you're getting good advice above.  I think it was good advice to pm others listed like (luv4lacrosse) as he has been amazing in his determination and strenghth.   Sending positives and prayers your direction.  Katie

When I read your post, my brain froze/stalled and wasn't sure as to what to say. Like others above mentioned, not all Doctors know what lies ahead for any of us. They can give an opinion of what they have seen in the past.

Like mentioned also, is the time frame, we have a lady friend that was told to get all her things in order as she had less then 2 years to live. That was over 8 years ago and she is still going strong...

My Best to You and Everyone Here

Hi Mike,

Like so many of your other teamates here my shoulders slumped when I read your post, and then I thought about so many here who were given little chance and are still putting out positive vibes and I fall into that group as well, that ever growing club of brothers and sisters. In July I was given about 10% chance of seeing Christmas. On July 28th I started chemo and radiation that lasted until November 22nd. It wasn't fun but I truly believed in what "my team" was doing and I trusted in "my God" as I do today. Mike, that was 1991! Will you make it? I don't know, but I do know you have a whole lot of love and prayers aimed your way. Don't give up unless you want to and we love and understand you whichever road you choose. One of your many teamates, josh r.

All of us, whether we admit it or not, think about it, consciously or not, stoic or not,  - fear that cancer might recur. I am truly sorry to hear it has returned. I had TPF (Taxotere, Cisplatin, and 5FU), 3 rounds at 3 week, just over two months. It was very tough, I barely made it through the 3rd cycle. It knocked me down so hard I was unable to get out of bed for 8 days. Each time it took at least two weeks to feel somewhat decent, just in time to get hit again. Overall, this was about 3 months before I recovered sufficiently to start the next treatment series: chemo/rads.

If it were me given this news, I would fight certainly based on my current physical and mental heath. Each person is unique and finds a new normal from their earlier round(s) of treatment. Some are as good as new, some are more compromised than others and others suffer conditions creating more serious QOL issues. It is far easier to say just do it to someone whom you hardly know and their own state.

To me, QOL would be the primary concern if faced with a terminal diagnosis. You will always be on pallative treatments designed to prolong your life, not cure your disease. Each person has to make their own decision based on their own condition and outlook. Personally, I would be asking myself a few things. One, do several doctors (second,third opinions) support the prognosis. If in fact, there is consensus that less than a year is the general expectation, then I would, based on my own past experience with systemic chemo treatment, do the math, 22 weeks (3 rounds x 6 cycles + 4 weeks of end recovery). Given 52 weeks, that is nearly half of my expected remaining life feeling like dog ****, QOL near zero. Allowing for natural and expected gradual decline robs some of that remaining 26 weeks. What remains in QOL is disheartening.

Again, for me, I have no idea what sort of mental process or coures of actions follow before deciding what to do. Maybe there are trials or evcen more experimental therapies. They might work, they may compromise your heath more rapidly, who knows for sure? I am certain there are no clear paths forward and only you can find the light to determine what is right for you. This is the most difficult decision one will ever make but whatever decision you make is the right one for you.

God bless you and may you only find comfort in your decision.

Don

Mike,

Sorry about your report, but give it all you can!

Matt