I've lurked on this site for a couple months and want to introduce myself finally. My husband was diagnosed in June of this year with Stage IV of the floor of the mouth, most likely secondary to years of smoking cigarettes. He had surgery Aug. 1 and has had two cycles on radiation/chemo inpatient. The weeks off between cycles have been tolerable, except last week when the paramedics were called because he developed pneumonia and could not breath -scary.
I am his caretaker, an RN myself, but everything is different when it's a family member. I'm feeling drained and cry at the slightest irritation. I never realized how much HE is MY support and now that's taken away.
Does anyone know the significance of positive lymph nodes, having skipped upper levels? His were level III positive, but I & II were negative. I have heard conflicting prognostic significance.