| Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Member | OP Member Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 3 | My name is Chelsey, I am 21 years old and was diagnosed with tongue cancer on December 3, 2009. I am a non-smoker, have the occasional drink, otherwise healthy 21 year old. I had a tumor removed from the side of my tongue on December 16, 2009 that was about 1.5 cm in diameter. Two days before Christmas i was told that the cancer had spread beyond the tumor removed and i would need to have futher treatment. 4 days ago which would be about 3 1/2 weeks post-op 2 small tumors have come back... I am going to the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver on the 18th of January to see the oncologist and the head and neck surgeon. I have been told that i will need radiation and more surgery. I am so scared and i feel absolutly broken. I am the first person in my circle of friends and family to have cancer and i feel so alone.... | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) | "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 | Oh Chelsey, 21 seems way too young to be dealing with this. I'm so glad you found this site. It will help get you through. If you have any questions, want to vent or anything then this is the place to do it. You will meet some amazing people on here that will help you get through the road ahead. Everyone on here has been through or is going through what you. Be it as patients or as carers.
Probably the best advise I can give you now is to stay positive, ask lots of questions and get as many calories as you can. Read this site as much as you can because you will learn so much. I did that and having some knowledge before we went through treatment certainly made it seem less scary, less of the unknown. Take care and keep us posted on how you are doing.
Wendy
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: Jan 2008 Posts: 706 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 706 | Chelsey-You have come to the right place. You will find alot of support here. Pay attention to all the advice you get. These people are survivors and have helped me beyond measure.
cg to husband, 48 Stage 1V head and neck SCC. First surgery 9/07. Radiation and several rounds of chemo followed. Mets to chest and lungs. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." Went home to God on February 22, 2009.
| | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Chelsey Welcome to OCF. Im so glad you have found this forum. It will help with your questions and give you the support you will need to get thru this. When people ask what they can do for you, at this point just make a list and write down their name and number. After treatment stats you will need help with things.
Right now try not to panic, it wont change what you have. Try your best to enjoy yourself before you have to focus on treatments. Go out to eat with your friends and family. Eat everything you can and dont worry about gaining any weight. Once you start treatments they can be difficult and you might not feel much like eating. You could be pretty tired too. Being so young will help you get thru this. You may not experience the side effects as much.
If you have any questions, please ask. We will do our best to help you with honest answers. One thing that is very important, always take someone with you to your doctor appointments. They can write down info you may not have heard.
Best of luck with everything. ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | | | Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 212 Gold Member (200+ posts) | Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 212 | Hello Chelsey,
Welcome to the forum. Odd to get cancer like this when you are young, but it is a weird diseade! Great support here and advice to help you with your trearment. Many of us have gone through the treatment and we are still typing! Please let us know what the oncologist and ENT says. You are not alone. I am sure that your friends and family is BC will suprize you with support. You also have a thousand new friends here!
Steve
70 male, athlete...again SSC of undetermined orgin , early july 09 40 tx radiation, 8 chemo cisplatin and ebuterx finished TX in mid Sept 09 Clear at the 6 year mark! Back to swimming, biking and running! just a tad slower never regained my weight, even when I eat lots and lots, just a skinny guy now
Just way glad to be seeing the green side up!
| | | | Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 396 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 396 | welcome to the OFC chelsey! u are very young but more and more i see that cancer doesnt discriminate. it gets the young, the old, black/white and everything in between, healthy and sick, rich and poor.
this is a super site with newbies, those going thru treatment, and survivors. u will get alot of great advise and support here. please keep us updated.
Teresa ----------- CG to ANDY. Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) T2N2cMxG4 stage 4. 43 @ dx 8/31/09 tx 9/21/09-11/06/09 cispatin/docetaxel/5-FU X3 PORT 9/9/09, PEG 12/07/09 35 IMRT-1/wk carbo 11/30/09-2/3/10 tx stopped due to complications IMRT BOOST 3/08-3/12/10 PET 4/12/10 CLEAR! PEG out 4/14/10
| | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Chelsey
Sorry you had to join our little club. My advice is to insist on getting a TSH blood test of your thyroid BEFORE any radiation. Without a baseline of your TSH level before radiation, you will find it very difficult if not impossible to get any doctor to take seriously the long term complication of radiation damage to your thyroid. It may not happen, but if it does, you only need to take one little pill. I have had to fight for two years before I finally found an endocronologist to help me and that is only because I dug up a forgotten TSH blood test done a month before radiation. I know you are scared, and there are lots of things to do, but this is an easy request since the doctors will be doing lots of blood tests anyway. charm 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: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 | Chelsey, I too remember those dreaded words. You have come to the right place for support and encouragment. Many of us have been where you are. I second what everyone is saying, eat as much as you can now! Rant and rave al you want. I know I did my share on here and was always encouraged. You will be inn my prayers.
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: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,844 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,844 | Chelsey,
I have a sister your age, her name is Chelsey as well...I can't imagine getting this news at your age. I'd give you the same advice I'd give my sister...make sure you are getting the absolute best medical advice available to you. After that the only thing you can control is your nutrition and your attitude.
I'll echo what others have said, stay calm this doesn't mean it's certain death, eat all you can as you can and hit these forums to vent all you need and ask questions.
This site has soo much information and the people are here to support you.
Good luck my dear, we are here for you.
Eric
Young Frack, SCC T4N2M0, Cisplatin,35+ rads,ND, RT Mandiblectomy w fibular free flap, facial paralysis, "He who has a "why" to live can bear with almost any "how"." -Nietzche "WARNING" PG-13 due to Sarcasm & WAY too much attitude, interact at your own risk.
| | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | Chelsey, welcome aboard the greatest site and the mst intelligent peole for OC tha could possibly be. Mine measured out at 1.5 also but then reappeared on the rigfht side of my tongue,. It's tough but you will do it and win. We have had as young as 14 I think it was , a young girl from England. She kicked and won but after many problems. When you get into treatments, drink a lot of water everyday. Good luck and we are all behind you so keep us informed.
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
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