| Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 60 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts) Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 60 | I am scheduled to have my mask done on 7/6. What can I expect? Thanks for all the help.
Susan/59/nonsmoker /tonsil cancer spread to tongue,stage III diagnosed 6/10, HPV+ T3,N1 Finished 35 radiation and 7 cisplatin 9/7/10.
| | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | Susan, the procedure is short but weird. They drape what feels like a warm, wet and very porous towel over your face and pull the sides down as tight as they can. You lie there for a few minutes (not hours, although it sure felt like that to me) until the durn thing hardens, and off she comes.
It's actually a breeze so don't fret. I only felt uncomfortable because I'd had my neck dissection and tracheotomy just a few weeks before that and was still having trouble with swallowing and breathing when lying flat.
We can discuss strategies for dealing with the actual WEARING of the thing during treatments anytime you like. Plenty of people will have advice.
Courage! David 2
David 2 SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 14 years all clear in 6/23 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 60 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts) Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 60 | Thanks, David. God, I appreciate this forum.
Susan/59/nonsmoker /tonsil cancer spread to tongue,stage III diagnosed 6/10, HPV+ T3,N1 Finished 35 radiation and 7 cisplatin 9/7/10.
| | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Susan
When they place the plastic mesh that will melt into a mask, you can ask to have them make a Mouth opening. I did not learn this until my second mask and it was so much more comfortable not to have the mask pressing into my lips than the first time.
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: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | Good point, Charm. I'd forgotten to add to my post that the tech did that for me to accomodate my nose, proud may it wave...
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David 2 SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 14 years all clear in 6/23 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 148 Likes: 1 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 148 Likes: 1 | Susan, Not to sacare you, but I had a hard time with that. I had no idea what to expect, so I never gave it much thought. In my case, the mask was warmed up, when the techs removed it from the heating unit, they very quickly put it over my face, & all these hands were pressing down & shapping the mask @ once. I felt like I couldn't breath! I had a hole cut out for my mouth & each treatment a tongue blade was put in my mouth (to protect the palate) If you could..take an Adavan 30 min. before this is done. Best of luck. It really did not take long at all. I just don't think I will ever forget it though.
BOT T3N2M0 No surgery, 38radiation treatments,4 chemo rounds, peg removed 11/08, still have a port. Treatments ended 6/20/08. So far, so Good ! "I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much !"
*** Admin update --- Dianne has passed away on August 25, 2015 ***
| | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 138 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 138 | "The mask" - it's a necessary evil. I promised I would hold my head still and never move one bit, but they laughed and said I had to wear the mask so they could get the radiation precisely in the area they were aiming. I never got anywhere near liking it, but I got to where I would just count the "zaps" and so I knew right when I would be done. Sometimes it took a little longer for them to get me "lined up" to start zapping, but once they started I could count down to getting the mask off. And since they know nobody wants it on any longer than necessary, they run right out to get it off as soon as you are done. It is just a matter of accepting that it's for your own good and next thing you know radiation treatments will be finished.
BOT-SCC Partial glossectomy 7/16/09. Stage IV, Rt ND 10/2/09. Teeth out 11/5/09. Port/peg in, 11/20/09. 7 wks rad & chemo, end 1/22/10 lung, colon biopsies 1/9/11 - both cancer colon resect surg 1/10/11 Folfox + Avastin - discontinued 6/11 lung surgery 3/13/12, 5/1/12 mets to liver and bones passed away 9/4/13
| | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 148 Likes: 1 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 148 Likes: 1 | Susan.....How did it go today? I bet your so glad thats over. Let me know how it went!
BOT T3N2M0 No surgery, 38radiation treatments,4 chemo rounds, peg removed 11/08, still have a port. Treatments ended 6/20/08. So far, so Good ! "I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much !"
*** Admin update --- Dianne has passed away on August 25, 2015 ***
| | | | Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 60 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts) Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 60 | thanks for asking, Dianne/went well, as my daughter was there with me and I didn't expect the CT scan and MRI/will start radiation 7/16
Susan/59/nonsmoker /tonsil cancer spread to tongue,stage III diagnosed 6/10, HPV+ T3,N1 Finished 35 radiation and 7 cisplatin 9/7/10.
| | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | Susan, glad to hear things went smoothly. I found during RT that listening to music or an audio book was extremely helpful, and even brought my own little speakers to hook up to my iPod. If that's not possible for you you might consider meditative breathing - there are many techniques and I'm sure you can learn what you need through an Internet search.
Good luck - remember we're here to help. D2
David 2 SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 14 years all clear in 6/23 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
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