I thought I could come on here and vent - till I read some of the posts here - and I thought I had it bad - -
12/1996 was diag with this and started the chemo and radiation treatments - 6 weeks.
I have had 5 doctors tell me that I was over treated - 7000 rads
Collateral damage: soft palat does not work, throat not up to par, Hypothyroid - daily meds, salavary glands burned out along with the jaw muscles. It was 2 years b4 some true feeling came back to my hands and feet. I have to be careful when doing anything because I only notice cuts when I see blood. I now have only one tooth left - figure it will be gone within a month. My hearing is to the point that hearing aids are not cutting it. my eyesight has changed faster then would normally happen due to age - 62 last month. sense of smell is off as is nearly no taste. I used to do all the cooking - now it has to be by rote.
I am liquid diet only now. and that has to be done slowly.
I am stuck with 6 cans of ensure plus a day to stay alive, along with a hand full of vitamins that have to be crushed and mixed with yogurt and then thinned down so I can get it down, a spoon at time. No solids. they just wont go down.
I tear up when I smell fresh bread or Bar-B-Q from the neighbors.
I was forced to retire early on soc.sec. disability since I have no strength left to do anything for any period of time.
Sometimes I want to smack some people that say 'oh, but you are alive' - well there is doubt in my mind that this is a good thing.
Do I worry it will come back - not for a second - only that the excess radiation will end up messing me up again, and maybe worse.
It was a surface cancer - created from smelling industrial strenght roach spray that had been used illegally, in the place I had been staying while attending a 6 week training school. the building had to be torn down - now a used car lot. 2 deaths were attributed to the spray.
hell, I was just about to make friends with the roaches too. hahaha
I decided not to sue the Dr. at the cancer clinic due to the fact that they save a heck of a lot of breast cancer patients in this area. and, whats done is done. The dr. refused to accept the idea that the equipment was doing what I complained about at the time.
I discovered this site while researching (i was bored) the facial muscles and salivary glands in the unlikely-hood that I should ever win the powerball hahaha maybe stem cells could help ?? its a dream...
Did I whine too much for you - sorry - just venting.
If it does pop up sometime ? ! ? well... I have a 12ga. that will clear it out. wont go thru that hell again and end up worse.
I truly feel for the ones I have read here that are worse off than me. I can live with where I am - but I dont think I could be as strong as you other people.
nuff said
ted
:-)