| | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | OP  Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Okay, it's been a lot of fun with the don't you just hate it thread (and please feel free to keep it going - I still enjoy it immensely) but it is admittedly negative. Today's Friday, time to get into the Island spirit (I know it's a different forum but I can smell the roasting pig over here)for the weekend.
so don't you just love it when someone says something insightful and empathic about our cancer experience even though they don't have cancer nor are they a caregiver ? I do and to start the ball rolling, here is one email comment to me from a friend:
[quote]How about your internal reflective process? I can scarcely imagine the range of emotions, and rational and irrational thoughts, you must be experiencing. It's like a sh**ty roller coaster ride - it has it moments of thrills, but not as many as it needs to have, and all in all, you just wish you could get off and sit on a bench somewhere and enjoy the day
[/quote]
I hope we all have had a least one positive moment to share.
Peace and Love
Charm
Last edited by Charm2017; 08-14-2009 03:03 PM. Reason: typos
65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,004 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,004 | I can't think of a specific quote but the friends and family who have gotten closer too is priceless. I talk to my cousins more who live in MA and FL more and my uncle in CO. It really warms my heart.
Suzanne
***********
T1 SCC on right side of tongue
Age 31...27 when diagnosed
4 partial glossectomies
No chemo or radiation
Biopsy on 2/2/10-Clear
Surgery needed again...no later than April 2011
Loving life and just became a mother on 11/25/10
It's not what we CAN'T do..it's what we CAN do:)
| | | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 | I loved all the support I received from my school last year. They even brought a card over on mother's day with $70 in it to help buy ice cream and things like that so i could eat. It meant so much to me during that difficult. I really do love me school. I have a Teacher Assistant this year and she always ask if my mouth is feeling okay. It was actually kind of strange. She noticed I was eating on one side and asked if that was because I had pain on the other side. Such a wonderful assistant and really concerned.
Angelia
31 at Dx.
DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,
T1NOMO, T2N1M0
TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09
PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement
PEG/PORT: 11/09
TX end: 02/01/10
PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear
PEG Out: 06/21/10
Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis
HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN
Baby girl born 11-30-12
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 | I have found that a simple "How are you now?" from my new patients that I tell my story to, is very sincere and touches me greatly.
Jerry
Jerry
Retired Dentist, 59 years old at diagnosis. SCC of the left lateral border of the tongue (Stage I). Partial glossectomy and 30 nodes removed, 4/6/05. Nodes all clear. No chemo no radiation 18 year survivor.
"Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger"
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,004 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,004 | I love that I found these forums and the friendships I have made. I found this site in January and have been on here almost everyday since!!!
Suzanne
***********
T1 SCC on right side of tongue
Age 31...27 when diagnosed
4 partial glossectomies
No chemo or radiation
Biopsy on 2/2/10-Clear
Surgery needed again...no later than April 2011
Loving life and just became a mother on 11/25/10
It's not what we CAN'T do..it's what we CAN do:)
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | I have a great support group on here, at church and one of the best is Little Sisters school kids in Chicago that kept encouraging me thru Lil sis and her emails. That was fantastic to me to have so many young ones cheering me on.
Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 225 "OCF across the pond" Gold Member (200+ posts) | | "OCF across the pond" Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 225 | don't you just love it when an old school friend you haven't seen in 15 years bumps into you and says: "you haven't changed and look really well!"
This happened to Martin, yesterday he saw a girl (well woman now I suppose) he went to school with. Martin pointed out the scar and told her what had happened, and she was genuinely surprised and said "well you certainly look well now!" Oh and they were born on the same day.
He was so shuffed he told me as soon as i walked through the door. He's been smiling since then.
Last edited by Cecilia; 08-20-2009 12:49 PM. Reason: terrible spelling
Girlfriend to Martin 49 years old at diagnosis
Diagnosed with SCC unknown primary June 2008.
Cancer found in single node Stage N2A (3 to 6cm).
Tonsilectomy 16th june, Radical modified neck dissection left side 30th june.
30 TX radiotherapy ended 9th October
First comparative study scan came back clear
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 | I don't have a quote but I love the good I have seen in people. Steve and I had a 2500km road trip to make to get him to a good hospital and to have us near family. My work rallied around and raised enough money to fund our entire trip. Fuel, accommodation and food plus some extra. They figured we had enough to worry about so they wanted to help in some way to take the pressure off us. I was completely overwhelmed by the generosity and caring they showed us (most of whom had never met Steve as I worked for a very large company with 700 + employee's in my building alone).
Wife to Steve 43. DX 5 May 09. T4N2MO SCC tongue, floor of mouth, lymph nodes & jaw bone
No surgery
Teeth removed 06/07/2009
radiation 13/07/2009 x 7wks
chemo 15/07/2009 x 3 Cisplatin
last TX 28/08/2009
25/11/2009 PET-lymph node activity.
08/01/2010 CT Scan-ALL CLEAR
03/03/2010-Peg removed
01/2013 left side of Jaw removed and replaced with pectoral flap.
23/12/2020 scan show lesion in tongue
01/2021 SCC stage 3 base of tongue diagnosed
01/03/2021 chemotherapy started.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 | It's a tradition at my job that on halloween the supervisors cook breakfast for everyone. Last haloween, knowing that I could not eat solid food, one of the supervisors brought me a pint of Cherry Garcia ice cream. Yum.
David R. 65 yr old male non-smoker, light drinker, stage 3 or 4, depending on which doc you ask, scc rt. tonsil, 2 nodes, 7 weeks radiation and chemo. No surgery. Teatment ended 3/20/08. PET scan 8/08 showed no cancer.
And now, as of oct, 2010, caregiver to wife, Linda, with breast cancer.
May, 2013, Linda diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Enuf already.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,004 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,004 | Wendy...that is so awesome!! It's great to work people so kind....you must be very well liked:)
Suzanne
***********
T1 SCC on right side of tongue
Age 31...27 when diagnosed
4 partial glossectomies
No chemo or radiation
Biopsy on 2/2/10-Clear
Surgery needed again...no later than April 2011
Loving life and just became a mother on 11/25/10
It's not what we CAN'T do..it's what we CAN do:)
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