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Coldinohio
Coldinohio Member Posts: 14
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Smile

Hello, I'm new to the forum and have been reading all the threads. I was just diagnosed with squamous cell cancer in my neck. The primary cannot be found, but I have had 9 lymph nodes removed on the right side of my neck with 2 of them cancerous. Right now I'm starting to go stir crazy waiting to see the oncologists on Friday. Then I can get a better idea of what treatment I will be having. This diagnosis was a shock to me as I'm 43 years old and have never been sick in my life. I've never missed more than 1 or 2 days of work at a time. I've been off for two weeks now, following the surgery, and have no idea when I'll be able to go back. Reading some of  everyone's stories has let me realize that I'm not alone.

Comments

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #2
    Welcome to the H&N form

      Coldinohio welcome to the H&N form and sorry you need to be here. You are not alone here. Mine was SCC of the larnyx, supraglottic T3 and neck dissection on both sides, 86 glands. They got the tumor with surgery and didn't need chemo or Rad. Just no larynx anymore. There are many here that have gone through the Rad. and can help you with questions and advice as well. It is a great bunch of people that are so willing to help others.

    Till later

    wmc

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Welcome....

    First and foremost..., where in Ohio, LOL... I'm from Ohio, but living in Florida for several years now.

    Anywho..., did they check the biopsy for HPV+..?

    Many of us were in the same boat as you... Even when diagnosed as STGIII SCC Tonsils and a lymphnode HPV+, I was in perfect health..., well other than having cancer that is.

    More than likely you will get one, two, or all three of either surgery, radiation, or chemo.

    Myself, it was tonsils removed, nine weeks (three week cycles) of Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5FU, then an additional seven weeks of weekly concurrent Carboplatin and 35 daily rads...

    A good starting point for you here, would be to check out the SuperThread... a compilation of many FAQ that many here have addressed over the years and experiences...

    Post up questions any time, as someone is usually always on..., and we have no areas as for personal questions concerning off limits for the most part.

    Also, don't get wrapped around them not finding a primary, many here in that same situation also... It doesn't really change the treatment plans, you get what you get for the most part..

    Best,

    John

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #4
    welcome

     

    Coldinohio,

    Welcome to the H&N forum, sorry you find yourself here, but know most of us were healthy and caught off guard by cancer.

    At your point in diagnosis and planning, my mind was all over the place.  That condition will calm once you have a final plan on eradicating this from your life.  Heck, you already removed part of the culprit, maybe most of it.

    Visit the Superthread at the top of the page it has some useful information.

    Good luck, don’t try to figure it all out it just is.

    Matt

     

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #5
    hi coldinohio.  i'm so glad

    hi coldinohio.  i'm so glad you are here for the support but very sorry you need us.  this is a great group of people and we will be here for you throughout your journey.  ask any and all quesions you have and remember, no question is off limits.  if we have a reply or suggestion, we'll post it.  if we don't we will let you know that also.  i had laryngeal cancer, stage 2 in aug. 2003 and underwent 35 rad tx.  was good until 2/12 when it decided to come back as stage 3.  had total laryngectomy and neck dissection on both sides of neck 2/28/12 and have been fine since.  i'm looking forwad to my 2 year anniversary!!  that is a big deal to me.  as far as having to wait until friday, that's nothing.  some here waited a month to a month and a half to get tx started so friday is actually quick.  once your plan is in place stuff will start moving quickly so you may want to get a calendar just for appointments for tx as well as doctor visits. wishing you the best as you take this journey.  we will all be here for you when you need us.  someone is usually always on so replies are usually quick.  welcome to our family and please let us know about your progress.  btw, i'm in cincinnati, are we neighbors?  John, what part of ohio are you from?  what a small world.

    God bless,

    dj

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
    debbiejeanne said:

    hi coldinohio.  i'm so glad

    hi coldinohio.  i'm so glad you are here for the support but very sorry you need us.  this is a great group of people and we will be here for you throughout your journey.  ask any and all quesions you have and remember, no question is off limits.  if we have a reply or suggestion, we'll post it.  if we don't we will let you know that also.  i had laryngeal cancer, stage 2 in aug. 2003 and underwent 35 rad tx.  was good until 2/12 when it decided to come back as stage 3.  had total laryngectomy and neck dissection on both sides of neck 2/28/12 and have been fine since.  i'm looking forwad to my 2 year anniversary!!  that is a big deal to me.  as far as having to wait until friday, that's nothing.  some here waited a month to a month and a half to get tx started so friday is actually quick.  once your plan is in place stuff will start moving quickly so you may want to get a calendar just for appointments for tx as well as doctor visits. wishing you the best as you take this journey.  we will all be here for you when you need us.  someone is usually always on so replies are usually quick.  welcome to our family and please let us know about your progress.  btw, i'm in cincinnati, are we neighbors?  John, what part of ohio are you from?  what a small world.

    God bless,

    dj

    Mount Vernon

    I was born in Mansfield, grew up in Mount Vernon...

    But I have relatives scattered about between Cleveland, Akron, and Columbus, Mount Vernon, Mansfield, Fredericktown... I lived in Toledo, Wooster, Mount Vernon, Mansfield, Canton, Massillon..., LOL.

    My step-father was an Engineer on the Penn Central back in the day..

    JG

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #7
    Skiffin16 said:

    Mount Vernon

    I was born in Mansfield, grew up in Mount Vernon...

    But I have relatives scattered about between Cleveland, Akron, and Columbus, Mount Vernon, Mansfield, Fredericktown... I lived in Toledo, Wooster, Mount Vernon, Mansfield, Canton, Massillon..., LOL.

    My step-father was an Engineer on the Penn Central back in the day..

    JG

    wow, you've covered half of

    wow, you've covered half of ohio....lol

    dj

  • Coldinohio
    Coldinohio Member Posts: 14
    #8
    debbiejeanne said:

    wow, you've covered half of

    wow, you've covered half of ohio....lol

    dj

    Mentor

    I live in mentor, grew up in lake county, had family in Massillon and parts of southern ohio. Tried living in Florida for a while but I missed the change of seasons..lol! Yes it is HPV+Thanks for the replies!

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #9
    Coldinohio said:

    Mentor

    I live in mentor, grew up in lake county, had family in Massillon and parts of southern ohio. Tried living in Florida for a while but I missed the change of seasons..lol! Yes it is HPV+Thanks for the replies!

    if it didn't mean leaving my

    if it didn't mean leaving my grandchildren, i'd move to FL in a heartbeat.  i hate the cold and the snow...burrrr.

    dj

     

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #10
    Coldinohio said:

    Mentor

    I live in mentor, grew up in lake county, had family in Massillon and parts of southern ohio. Tried living in Florida for a while but I missed the change of seasons..lol! Yes it is HPV+Thanks for the replies!

    Test Time... ~ColdinOhio

    OK, though I'm dating myself, I know that you have probably heard of Hoolihan and Big Chuck, Kielbasa Kid, Ghoulardi, Pink Flamingo..., LOL.

    I have family up your way, and of course those above were shows that I watched on our three channel TV growing up.... If you turned the aerial antenna just right, LOL...

    I can see why you are "Cold" in Ohio...

    When I got out of the USMC in 1977, I visited a friend that lived in East Lake during January 1978... I swear, that was the coldest I have ever been in my life..., bone chilling cold. That wind blowing across the lake is torture..

    Anyways..., welcome fellow Buckeye...

    John

  • kimnavarette
    kimnavarette Member Posts: 19
    #11
    Welcome fellow Ohioan!

    Relatively new here myself! Don't know much about your type of cancer, but wanted to welcome a fellow Ohioan to the group! We live in Perrysburg (just outside Toledo) but we are in Texas at MD Anderson for treatment of my son's MEC. Sorry you find yourself here, but you couldn't have found a nicer, more welcoming group!

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #12
    Coldinohio said:

    Mentor

    I live in mentor, grew up in lake county, had family in Massillon and parts of southern ohio. Tried living in Florida for a while but I missed the change of seasons..lol! Yes it is HPV+Thanks for the replies!

    Gues we are neighbors I live

    Gues we are neighbors I live in Wickliffe.Went though my surgery a month ago.Removed about 1/4 of tounge and rebuilt it with muscle from my thigh.Still pretty swollen but not nearly as I was.They also removed 80 lymph nodes from both sides of my neck which were clear.I go to the radiation doctors out in mentor to get fit for mask and how they do what they do.As far as I know it will be 5 days a week for 7 weeks at 10 per session.Like you I never missed a day of work never turned down ot never actually sick a day until this came up.I thought it was a cyst or something and thought it would go away last summer.We have some very good doctors here in cleveland. Glad you have found this site everyone here has your back and will answer even the questions to help you on your fight...

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #13
    Welcome

     

    You found the right place to be my friend because there are many here who been through what you have and are now survivors. Welcome to the family and try not to worry too much, I love to pray and if you don’t mind I will add you to my pray list.

     

    God Bless

    Hondo

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #14
    Ohio Visit...

    Dang, with so many of you in Ohio.... I might just try to see a few of you in or around October...,  and hopefully you'll be up fpr a Starbuck's.

    My wife and I are planning a visit to see relatives and such..., more than likely flying into Cleveland as my niece only lives a few miles from there....

    Close to Toledo huh.... hmmmm so does Cedar Point sound familiar..., LOL... Many summers were spent there and on the old wooden roller coaster.

    John

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #15
    new diagnosis

    ColdinOhio, I was like you and had never missed more than 1-2 days of work in 20 years.   Then I got the dreaded diagnosis and my life was turned a bit upside down.  The good news is that the cure rate for you should be very high and as you've read from the forum, the next few months will have a few ups and downs but long term your prognosis is excellent.  Just stay positive that you can beat this thing and before you know it the treatment will all be over and you'll be on the road to recovery.  

    Like Matt said, it doesn't do any good to ask why, it just is and now you can get the treatment you need to put this behind you.   Good luck and stay in touch as you continue the treatment.

    Keith

     

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