Nasopharyngeal cancer

Hello All,

It is me, Joe Rock Head, again. Today is the 7th anniversary of my 63rd birthday present... H&N Cancer. Today I am now "3 score and 10" (70 yrs young) & still kicking! That said, it hasn't been a picknick. My weight went from 198lbs to 148 lbs & it took a year before my taste buds started working. I've varied from 177 lbs to 201lbs (current), depending on my hormone issues. I was a 24 on the 0-20 double vision scale....yep, off the scale. With the help of a bright optometrist I lived with quarterly changes to my Zeiss Prism Lenses. I've been a 1 or 2 on that scale for 5 yrs. About 3.5 yrs ago I started getting serious middle ear issues. The web sites called it "Glue Ear". This led to continuous ear infections, burst drums, vertigo. My hospital Caregivers suggested Prednisone. It worked for nearly a year and then it started to lose its efficacy. Then started the return to misery. Ove r the counter meds of all names, none worked. Pinch my nose and gently blow while swallowing, minor reduction in discomfort.... continuous antibiotic. No ENT in the Greater Toronto Area would touch me, but with the help of my Family Doc we identified a procedure called Balloon Inflation of the Eustachian Tube. Still no ENT would tough me. I finally had surgery, in the ear with my poorest hearing in a private clinic in London Ontario last spring. Mixed results, hearing loss, still terrible plugging but few infections an slow drainage with 10% normal days. Then came the week of vomiting and vertigo, head ache and a "misdiagnoses of the return of cancer" (by 2 hospitals. Thankfully, I had experienced several years of uncertainty as to whether I still had cancer or not in my early years. Too much inflammation to really tell. Then came the diagnosis of Addison's Disease. It is likely due to radiation damage to my Pituitary Gland. Currently on several daily hormone meds and still trying to get the doses right. Question. will this radiation damage continue.....answer likely but I hope not. Wish for the future......an answer to my middle ear plugging and an ability to board an airplane with my family in the future!

Best of Luck in your struggle. Never forget to ask yourself "is this a hill to die on"? The answer is usually Keep Up The Good Fight!

Best Joe

Yes I had it 13 yrs ago. I had to have a feeding tube placed before treatments as it gets difficult to swallow. It was my life savior. Keep hydrated and eat what you can. Evidently follow a speech therapist. Keep a positive attitude and faith. You will get through this..