I'm Back and so is cancer

Duggie88
Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

 

Hi all

 

Been a while since I visited the site for various reasons but mainly because I hated reading bad news. I could never understand how I could feel the pain of others added to the gut wrenching sadness I felt for people I never met. I have come to realize and have known for quite some time it’s because we all share a common bound and this place shines hope on lives that have been stricken with cancer.

 

Some of you may remember me and I suspect most will not. I had squamous cell carcinoma at the base of my tongue and had a full neck dissection in December of 2009 and 30 radiation treatments the beginning of 2010.  Other than scars, dry mouth, and the loss of some teeth I live a happy abi-normal life. (I borrowed that from my buddy John)  Back in April I had a CT Scan for an abdominal hernia and they found a spot at the bottom of my right lung.  After a few more scans and a biopsy, I now know it is the same cancer and came from my throat. I visited doctors locally (Reading, PA) and went to my old home away from home the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and all agree radiation is the way to treat it so I start that process this coming Wednesday. Turns out my original throat cancer was HPV and we never knew it until now.

 

I opened the door to this room not for recognition but to let you know that it can come back after 5 years. I didn’t step into this room to scare anybody or to take away anyone’s thunder who passed the five-year mile marker. That is major, I know, it was for me. Just because it reared its head and came after me again doesn’t mean it will to anyone else. I consider myself one lucky some **** (I’m Vice President of a Teamster Local so I can swear, I do it to earn a living) because they found it very early and they found it while looking at something else.  I am not a "Negative Nancy" because I am here to tell you my plan is to kick cancer’s f----ing **** for the third time. I also had prostate cancer back in 2015. I have told a few of the doctors I can go through anything because I went through treatments for throat cancer and there is no way they can hurt me as much as they did back then. I will win this battle and life will go on.

 

Enjoy the day…………… I do …………every one of them

      Jeff

 

Comments

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,466 Member
    #2
    Well Duggie88 I'm Back Also-now as member officially

    I was always a background Lurker though and never joined just read the discussions.

    A huge wealth of blessings, knowledge, and support on here.

    But since I got cancer again I decided to join.

    I also remember your a PA guy also.

    I read many of your postings and comments.

    I had throat cancer discovered about the end of November 2012, sore throat that wouldn't go away.

    Turned out to be a very large tumor.

    My cancer team worked out a treatment plan and I started in January 1 2013 great way to start a new year-huh.

    Spent a week in the hospital twice with intervals in between to get blood counts back up and was on 24 hour chemo to shrink the tumor.

    Then went to next phase of 35 rads and chemo at the beginning, middle, and end after last rad treatment.

    Finished treatment in May of 2013 and got this sore spot on the bottom left side of my tongue started late April.

    So I was about one month shy of when i finished treatment and I have cancer again.

    Doc does not consider this a recurrence but another cancer case.

    Waited a bit to see if it would be something temporary but it was not and would not go away so saw my ENT guy and

    he did a biopsy-turned out to be cancer.

    Ordered a pet scan and thank the Lord it was nowhere else in my body.

    So just day before yesterday 6/21/18 I had a partial tongue glossectomy.

    Sorry to see you have it again but remember you well and you always fought the beast

    well and always have a great attitude and fighting spirit and so we will go on and do our best.

    Sorry if this is a little long and mixed up hope you can make sense of it.

    Take care.

     

     

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    again

    Jeff,

    You are indeed not Negative Nancy, I know her and you are sure not her. If anything you are Jokey Jeff,  Humorous Humphrey or 6’-10” vice-president of Local  Teamsters swearing union (or something).  I do know you can kick butt and I would not expect any less from you.

    Your friend from Oregon,

    Matt

  • Steve1959
    Steve1959 Member Posts: 28 Member
    #4
    Jeff,

    Jeff,

    Take care of yourself you can beat this beast. Lots of hard work and positive thoughts to make it thru but you can do it.

    I had a neck disection and 30 rad treatments in 2016 for cancer in my neck. My latest PET scan and follow-up CT scan detected a 5mm nodule in my upper right lung. Now I have to play the waiting game for the next CT scan in September to see if this nodule has grown. Hoping for the best but ready to fight again if necessary.

    As Matt says, "kick butt" and definitely never give up.

    Steve

  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #5
    Kick its butt

    Hey Jeff,

    You did it before, stay strong and keep that unbeaten streak going. Cheers.

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #6
    F...K

    Jeff,

    Sucks about the diagnosis but thank God it got picked up soon. Nearly always it's not discovered until symptoms appear. You're a tuff dude, get in the ring and kick ****. We're here. don

  • Tonita
    Tonita Member Posts: 197 Member
    #7
    I've always known that.  I

    I've always known that.  I take nothing for granted.  Cancer does what it wants whenever and wherever it wants.  No one is ever "cured", at least in our minds anyway.  My friend is stage IV breast cancer for more than 20 years.  It kept coming back, two different types.  She had a double mastectomy.  It spread to her spine and stomach but with medications/treatments it's kept at bay and she lives a normal, healthy life except for the worry of recurrence.

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