New & Humbled
Anyway I'm now left with 8 more Radiation treatments out of 34 and my throat is so sore I cant swallow with nothing to go down let alone with food or drink and my voice is almost completely gone. Of course the outside of my throat is bright red. So I was feeling a little sorry for myself after my wife, an excellent cook, seemed to take it personally that no matter how hard she tries, I can't seem to enjoy anything she cooks.
The stories here show me there's lots of hope for that rosy future (I still doubt the 100). and I should be glad that I just had a month plus of Radiation with the promise of a probably total cure.
There! I vented and introduced myself.
Comments
-
mick
hi there.
you wife may want to get over the food thing. lol tell her to take it from us, it sure ain't personal.
cheers, to a rosey future for you!0 -
Welcome Mick
Like sweet said, it's not personal concerning the food issue...LOL.
I had sixteen weeks of chemo and chemo/rads....STGIII SCC PV+ Tonsil Cancer.
You sound right where you should be, unfortunately you're gonna be there for about 3 - 4 weeks longer.
At your point I was using the liquid lydocane solution (Larry's #2) for a quick numbing. Then 1 - 2 Ensure plus, a big glass of water, a few sliced peaches in light syrup, a ground up percocet, and more water....several times each day, (I had no PEG).
That was my regime' from about the 4th week into rads and several weeks after.
It's a very doable treatment, but rough... It's not easy, but you can do it and most have very good outcomes.
Best,
John0 -
Welcome, Mick
Good to meet you. Good you vented, too - we'd hate to think you're a superhero - I'd be jealous. In my opinion, you have every right to feel sorry for yourself (for a while).
You don't need me to tell you that now it's incredibly important for you to make sure you are getting in enough water and calories too - even though it's painful and probably has no taste or doesn't taste good. Like John, I got the timing down so I took a long acting pain med, then about an hour an a half later I took a fast-acting pain med that didn't last long, then I did the most of my oral food/water consumption. Hope the recovery goes smoothly for you.0 -
Welcome MickPam M said:Welcome, Mick
Good to meet you. Good you vented, too - we'd hate to think you're a superhero - I'd be jealous. In my opinion, you have every right to feel sorry for yourself (for a while).
You don't need me to tell you that now it's incredibly important for you to make sure you are getting in enough water and calories too - even though it's painful and probably has no taste or doesn't taste good. Like John, I got the timing down so I took a long acting pain med, then about an hour an a half later I took a fast-acting pain med that didn't last long, then I did the most of my oral food/water consumption. Hope the recovery goes smoothly for you.
You are in the right place to vent... I am more of a rant-er myself! Lol!
With me, liquids kept me alive for months, as I had no peg. I know your wife must be frustrated, but as we all said - nothing personal. I progressed to soup eventually, so she maybe able to help in that way. As far as taste (ugh), and just the smell of food cooking would make me run in the other direction. Glad you have the support, and I know she will be able to feed you "good stuff" eventually. Just not now. Wishing you prayers, and support throughout your recovery. Patty0 -
Welcome Mickpattyanny said:Welcome Mick
You are in the right place to vent... I am more of a rant-er myself! Lol!
With me, liquids kept me alive for months, as I had no peg. I know your wife must be frustrated, but as we all said - nothing personal. I progressed to soup eventually, so she maybe able to help in that way. As far as taste (ugh), and just the smell of food cooking would make me run in the other direction. Glad you have the support, and I know she will be able to feed you "good stuff" eventually. Just not now. Wishing you prayers, and support throughout your recovery. Patty
As everyone's said, this is the place to vent. Not being able to enjoy food is very frustrating, and having one's neck turn 14 different shades of red is no cake walk either.
Glad your prognosis is so good!
Be well.0 -
Hi Mickg
Live to be 100 that sounds great to me, hope I can join you and blow out the candles. I am sure your wife understands just by looking at you and knows that things are not like they use to be and that taste is like cardboard. My wife had a job just trying to get things down in me because I did not have a PEG tube.
Hay look on the bright side 8 more to go, you can do that standing on your head. Glad to have you here with us and like to just Welcome you to our little family here on CSN.
Wishing you the best
Hondo0 -
Welcome Mick
Sorry you have to be here but glad you felt comfortable to vent. This is a great group. They got me through the hard times. I am caretaker to my Husband, Jim. He fished 40 rads, 2 cisplatin and 3 erbatox treatment mid August. The last week of treatment and two weeks after were the roughest for him. The dry mouth continues and the mucousis is still there but not as bad. Every day is a very small step towards improving. We celebrated on Monday because he ate a piece of cantelope that was tasteless but at least did not taste like poop. LOL He can now walk to the mailbox and back without taking a nap. Jim is back to staying awake during the day. Progress is slow but it is progress. Focus on the positives no matter how small and tell your wife you love and appreciate her. It's hard on her too.
Praying for you both.
Debbie0 -
Cantelopejim and i said:Welcome Mick
Sorry you have to be here but glad you felt comfortable to vent. This is a great group. They got me through the hard times. I am caretaker to my Husband, Jim. He fished 40 rads, 2 cisplatin and 3 erbatox treatment mid August. The last week of treatment and two weeks after were the roughest for him. The dry mouth continues and the mucousis is still there but not as bad. Every day is a very small step towards improving. We celebrated on Monday because he ate a piece of cantelope that was tasteless but at least did not taste like poop. LOL He can now walk to the mailbox and back without taking a nap. Jim is back to staying awake during the day. Progress is slow but it is progress. Focus on the positives no matter how small and tell your wife you love and appreciate her. It's hard on her too.
Praying for you both.
Debbie
"We celebrated on Monday because he ate a piece of cantelope that was tasteless but at least did not taste like poop."
Not even gonna ask how he knows that......
Best,
John0 -
CantelopeSkiffin16 said:Cantelope
"We celebrated on Monday because he ate a piece of cantelope that was tasteless but at least did not taste like poop."
Not even gonna ask how he knows that......
Best,
John
I with you on that one John, lol all the way today
Hondo0 -
100 years oldHondo said:Cantelope
I with you on that one John, lol all the way today
Hondo
I hope we are all posting here at 100!!! I know we'll forget what we wrote and what disease we had, but it will be fun typing here and wondering why we're here!!!
Keep up the fight, it gets better, just slowly..have patience.
Steve0 -
Newbie
Hi, Mick. Sorry you have to be here, but as others have said, this is truly a great bunch of caring and helpful folks on this site. I am glad to hear you have a good prognosis and just keep fighting through all of this. The prize is too good to not fight for.
Roger0 -
Mick,
You and 1 have the
Mick,
You and 1 have the same diagnosis and were diagnosed at the same time with the same treatment. I have completed 28 out of 35 radiation treatments. I am having the same problem you are having even swallowing water right now hurts. My voice is down to a whisper sore throat trouble swallowing and a cough especially at night. I am a new member to this site but I have been reading before I became a member. There are alot of people here with tons of knowledge who can help. Keep your head up chest out and keep marching forward. Hug and kiss your wife and tell her you love her as often as possible she will understand. God Bless0 -
Fatboym7 and MickFatboym7 said:Mick,
You and 1 have the
Mick,
You and 1 have the same diagnosis and were diagnosed at the same time with the same treatment. I have completed 28 out of 35 radiation treatments. I am having the same problem you are having even swallowing water right now hurts. My voice is down to a whisper sore throat trouble swallowing and a cough especially at night. I am a new member to this site but I have been reading before I became a member. There are alot of people here with tons of knowledge who can help. Keep your head up chest out and keep marching forward. Hug and kiss your wife and tell her you love her as often as possible she will understand. God Bless
I am 18 months post treatment and doing well...not perfect, but really well. I remember the days a few weeks and months post treatment and I felt like this situation would never end, NEVER!
It did. I got more saliva back, I got my voice bace, still raspy, but back and I am eating all my meals now and have been for 7 months. Had PEG tube as all of your descriptions here on your condition is the same as I had...All I can tell you is have patience, measure your progress by months, not weeks or days. As Fatboym7 says, keep your head up and keep marching. A positive mental attitude and a lot of humor (read Skiffin)will get you through this and to a better place. Trust us who are on the road up ahead of you still marching....
all the best,
Steve0 -
Welcomehawk711 said:Fatboym7 and Mick
I am 18 months post treatment and doing well...not perfect, but really well. I remember the days a few weeks and months post treatment and I felt like this situation would never end, NEVER!
It did. I got more saliva back, I got my voice bace, still raspy, but back and I am eating all my meals now and have been for 7 months. Had PEG tube as all of your descriptions here on your condition is the same as I had...All I can tell you is have patience, measure your progress by months, not weeks or days. As Fatboym7 says, keep your head up and keep marching. A positive mental attitude and a lot of humor (read Skiffin)will get you through this and to a better place. Trust us who are on the road up ahead of you still marching....
all the best,
Steve
Welcome to our little group Mick, and to you as well Fatboy! Steve (hawk711) and I are about the same time frame as are several others who post here. Lots of good people here, but nice when you can talk with someone going thru at the same timeframe. (I guess misery loves company).
But it does get better! At 18 months out I can eat about anything, so Mick next time your wife cooks one of those meals, give me a call. (My wife - so, so on the cooking thing). Everybody's different but I'll bet you'll be enjoying those meals soon (and for a long time - 100 - Wow!)
Positive thoughts going to all the newbies going thru treatments!
Greg0 -
Another new and humbled
Hi there all!
I am scheduled for a biopsy on my vocal chords end october. Why? Because for several months i have been coughing up blood in the morning. They do not suspect cancer, but only want to rule it out, however, for some reason the procedure frightens me. I had t.c twenty years ago,did the chemo route and sailed through it. I also have had cll for three years now.
Why am i posting you lot? Several reasons.
One i am worried they will damage my crowns. Due to chemo, i have no teeth and getting new ones will cost me a fortune.
Two. I have stopped coughing blood in the mornings.
Three the thought of not being able to use my voice for ten days annoys me no end.
And fourth, i am asking myself if i am really a candidate for this awful procedure.
I hate to moan, but you folks seem to have all the answers, and if anybody can help me out, i would appreciate your help and advice.
Warm regards
Ronnie0 -
The Story
All you folks have me feeling better, psychologically anyway. It seems similar experiences give encouragement so I thought I'd tell 'the tale of the Old Iron Pot'.
My voice started getting raspy about a year ago when I had zero insurance. by February this year it was bad enough that I went to a Walk-in clinic and met a doctor who must have been with me all of 20 seconds, looking down my throat with a flash-light and writing a prescription, saying very confidently; "You have Bronchitis. Take these Antibiotics and you'll be fine. That'll be $102"
Well of course the Antibiotics did nothing, and by July Medicare had kicked in with my voice getting worse I went directly to an ENT doctor who told me there were bumps on my vocal chords which he would remove and biopsy. He said then that it could be cancer or warts and that I should hope for cancer as that was 100% curable where with warts I would have to keep going back regularly for the rest of my life to have them removed.
As it turned out it was T1 Cancer and the Doctor at the Cancer Center was the one who said "We're going to cure you, you'll live to be 100" and here's where I replied "That's a problem, I only budgeted to 90!"
Sitting back and looking rationally It has not been too bad a price for what promises to be a total cure for such a potentially devastating diagnosis. But when you go through this unpleasant experience, of course it can get you down. That is where the encouragement and support of the great folks here can be of inestimable value.
For those at an earlier stage in the process I will keep posting my progress here in the hope it helps.
Right now I have 6 treatments left then they say they will give me the mask as a souvenir.
I can just dry swallow with some pain and have learned that technique with liquids to be ale to get something down. My speech is extremely croaky but people do seem to be able to understand me. Now it's 5:00 a.m. and time for me to go open the Dog Spa we own. Customers and Dogs think it's quite amusing.0 -
MickgMickg01 said:The Story
All you folks have me feeling better, psychologically anyway. It seems similar experiences give encouragement so I thought I'd tell 'the tale of the Old Iron Pot'.
My voice started getting raspy about a year ago when I had zero insurance. by February this year it was bad enough that I went to a Walk-in clinic and met a doctor who must have been with me all of 20 seconds, looking down my throat with a flash-light and writing a prescription, saying very confidently; "You have Bronchitis. Take these Antibiotics and you'll be fine. That'll be $102"
Well of course the Antibiotics did nothing, and by July Medicare had kicked in with my voice getting worse I went directly to an ENT doctor who told me there were bumps on my vocal chords which he would remove and biopsy. He said then that it could be cancer or warts and that I should hope for cancer as that was 100% curable where with warts I would have to keep going back regularly for the rest of my life to have them removed.
As it turned out it was T1 Cancer and the Doctor at the Cancer Center was the one who said "We're going to cure you, you'll live to be 100" and here's where I replied "That's a problem, I only budgeted to 90!"
Sitting back and looking rationally It has not been too bad a price for what promises to be a total cure for such a potentially devastating diagnosis. But when you go through this unpleasant experience, of course it can get you down. That is where the encouragement and support of the great folks here can be of inestimable value.
For those at an earlier stage in the process I will keep posting my progress here in the hope it helps.
Right now I have 6 treatments left then they say they will give me the mask as a souvenir.
I can just dry swallow with some pain and have learned that technique with liquids to be ale to get something down. My speech is extremely croaky but people do seem to be able to understand me. Now it's 5:00 a.m. and time for me to go open the Dog Spa we own. Customers and Dogs think it's quite amusing.
6 more to go I always say I can do them standing on my head. Wishing you a full recovery as you know the need to tell the dogs to sit, say, and give me a paw. LoL
Hondo0
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