4 Months Out on the 4th

tomb247
tomb247 Member Posts: 54
edited July 2015 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Just a quick update. I know it is only 4 months since my last treatment but ENT sad things are progressing well. He said he thinks we can put this (SCC) in the rear view mirror. That sounds great but at only 4 months, is that even realistic? I don't know but he thinks they were successful with the treatment.

Still dealing with Lymphedema but working with massage daily and manageable. Some food still getting caught but Lymphedema is cause most likely. Dry mouth, well you all know how that is. Taste is coming back slowly but still have no desire for coffee or chocolate. They taste burnt or bitter. Strenght is getting better every day. Walking 3 to 4 miles daily.

Met with some new friends last night for pre 4th BBQ at a small place in town. His wife had overheard a discussion I was having with some friends at dinner one night back in January and introduced themselves to us. He is 17 years removed form HNC, trach, dissection including vocal chords and radiation. We shut the BBQ place down and talked for 4 hours about everything under the sun. He is doing well and has no limitations. Very encouraging.

Next up is for a FNB for a hot thyroid (Unrelated to SCC) that showed up hot on PET. ENT seems to be not too concerned with this as he said 75% of these are ok. Scheduled on the 24th. Ill keep you posted.

Thanks for being a place where we can share and support each other. I am thankful for the information from all of you as well as the encouragement for each other. 

 

God Bless and Happy 4th!

Tom in NW Missouri

 

 

Comments

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #2
    hi Tom.  it sounds like you

    hi Tom.  it sounds like you are right where you should be.  usually a doctor says to look at cancer that way after 5 yrs so 4 months is early.  but with cancer we take it one day at a time so live for today and for today, you are cancer free and that's what matters. Happy 4th to you also.  CELEBRATE!

    God bless you,

    dj

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
    You sound like you're doing great....

    the one thing we all had to get used to, is how slow recovery is....but walking 3 or 4 miles a day....eating food regardless of lack of taste (which comes almost back), partying with friends.....that's wonderful.  I still am not crazy about chocolate (grateful for that today :) )....sweets in general, have not been my favorite....can do Mexican, but Italian is too spicey (go figure).  Dry mouth gets better....that I can attest to.  I'm still dry in the morning, or if I talk too much....I don't carry water every where, but do keep it in the car, and by my night stand....and during meals. 

    You're still in the baby steps of recovery....a year from now, you'll look back and see that recovery came in degrees....can't notice it on a week by week basis, but very noticable on a a 2 month by 2 month basis.

    Congrats to you!!!

    p

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #4
    phrannie51 said:

    You sound like you're doing great....

    the one thing we all had to get used to, is how slow recovery is....but walking 3 or 4 miles a day....eating food regardless of lack of taste (which comes almost back), partying with friends.....that's wonderful.  I still am not crazy about chocolate (grateful for that today :) )....sweets in general, have not been my favorite....can do Mexican, but Italian is too spicey (go figure).  Dry mouth gets better....that I can attest to.  I'm still dry in the morning, or if I talk too much....I don't carry water every where, but do keep it in the car, and by my night stand....and during meals. 

    You're still in the baby steps of recovery....a year from now, you'll look back and see that recovery came in degrees....can't notice it on a week by week basis, but very noticable on a a 2 month by 2 month basis.

    Congrats to you!!!

    p

    Tom

    Sounds like your recovery is moving forward at a great pace. Good to hear that your doctor has a good feel for NED. I think, generally, most use 5 years clean as the point of celebration. Of course, we celebrate each and every clean scan inbetween.

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #5
    Happy 4th

    Tom,

    I had to feed your picture into my H&N decoder computer to find out what it said, but now I know why you are 4 months happy.

    Keep moving forward,

    Matt

    t

  • MrsBD
    MrsBD Member Posts: 617 Member
    #6
    4 Months

    Four months out is about the time I started to feel better too. It's been nine months now and my oncologists are so confident the cancer is gone that they removed my port. Good riddance! Savory and foods are my preference and sweets make my mouth hurt. I look at that as a blessing. Because of acupuncture, there's not much of a problem with dry mouth and no lost sense of taste. 

    Thanks for sharing the 17 year survivor's story. May all your scans be NED!

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #7
    Tom that is good news......

    By saying you can put it in the rearview mirror, means you no longer have to worry. They are comfortable they killed it or removed it. You should still have to have routine checkups. Some doctors might asy curred at three years, but most all wait until the 5 year mark to say curred. Mine was in my larynx just abobe my vocal cords. I had other breathing problems, COPD Stage 3, so for me the Tx was to remove all of my larynx and 86 lymph glands as a precaution. That got the tumor and every thing around it as well so I have no cancer. Did not need chemo or any radition as it was all removed. I had to go every two months for check ups, because I did not have radiation, for the first year. The next was or is every 6 months this year and then it will be once a year until I hit 5 years then they will say Cured.

    For you to put it behind you means you are NED [No Evidence of Disease ] and most of all, not to worry. Thr recovery can be slow at times to gat back to 90% then you will get 100% as you can be. Work hard and be paitent you will get there. The most inportant is not to worry and go no with your life and not to fear anything. You did good.

    Bill

  • tomb247
    tomb247 Member Posts: 54
    #8
    Thank you for the support and

    Thank you for the support and information. You all are a great group to be associated with. 

     

    God Bless,

     

    Tom in NW Missouri

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #9
    tomb247 said:

    Thank you for the support and

    Thank you for the support and information. You all are a great group to be associated with. 

     

    God Bless,

     

    Tom in NW Missouri

    Pop in from time to time just to let us know you're doing good or just have a question, we're here. As you continue to recover don't forget to celabrate all the little accomplishments. To others they might seem small but to us it is major. I only could get liquid in with a straw for the first two to three weeks as it would just dribble out if I used a spoon. That made me very upset as I felt like a old person that had a stroke. I had to relearn how to eat. When I did get the spoon and mouth to work together, it was major to me. Always celabrate anything you do. You have a new life, and it can be so wonderful.

    Bill 

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