| | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 38 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP  Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 38 | Sometimes, when I wake up in the morning, I forget that I have anything wrong with me. I pause, and the reality comes flooding back. I embrace it, and greet the day.
Sometimes, after I've been quiet for a long time, I speak, but don't recognize my own voice and I giggle.
Sometimes, I think I'll order the cheeseburger at the restaurant, and realize I can't get my mouth open wide enough to take a bite, so order the pasta instead. Then I feel glad, because I'd rather have pasta over a burger any day.
Sometimes, I thank God that I'm still alive, and feel the love of a thousand raindrops on my skin, and I think that I am one of the lucky ones.
Teacher aged 48, SCC Left side and floor of Tongue, Dx December, 2009. Stage II T2 N0 M0 Successful partial glossectomy surgery with thigh flap and neck dissection 3/8/10. 6 weeks of radiation tx ended 6/30/10. Happily surviving!
"Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere."
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 790 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 790 |
Tongue Cancer T2 N0 M0 /
Total Glossectomy Due to Location of Tumor
Finished all treatments May 25 2007
Surviving!!!
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 179 "OCF Down Under" Senior Member (100+ posts) | | "OCF Down Under" Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 179 | Your love of life is inspriring. As someone out of treatment for 3weeks, it gives me hope that someday i will feel the same as you now!!! Thank you for your post!!
35 Yrs old
03/10 SCC T1-T2
Partial Glossectemy end March - margins not clear enough.
While waiting for resection - cancer returned,2 new cancerous lumps
Re-section End May & flap from cheek attatched. Margins clear.
Mid June - 4 teeth out
Mid July -32 Rads and 3 Cisplatin
6th Sept 10 Finished Treatment!!
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,301 "OCF Down Under" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF Down Under" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,301 | Very nicely put. You have a great attitude Barb. May you continue to heal with each passing day. As Minnie says..inspiring 
History Leukoplakia bx 8/2006 SCC floor mouth T3N0M0- Verrucous Carcinoma.
14 hour 0p SCC-Right ND/excision/marginal mandibulectomy 9/2006, 4 teeth removed, flap from wrist, trach-ng 6 days- no chemo/rad.
6 ops and debulking (flap/tongue join) + bx's 2006-2012.
bx Jan 2012 Hyperkeratosis-Epithelial Dysplasia
24cm GIST tumour removed 8/2013. Indefinite Oral Chemo.
1/31/16 passed away peacefully surrounded by family
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 | Loved your post. You must be such an inspiration to your students. The key word for me was "embrace". Reminds me of what Ekhart Tolle said: "Accept with joy and enthusiasm" and "What you resist persists". Accepting something doesn't mean you have to agree with it but I think it allows one to find ways to create a "new normal" instead of getting stuck in the "resisting" mode. There have been times when I thought, well, ok I will accept this but I couldn't muster up the joy and enthusiasm to go with it. You've given me a wonderful thought for the start of my day!
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 440 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 440 | You put a smile on my face! Loved reading this, thanks!
Dx 3/27/09 @ 28 years old with High Grade MEC T4N2M0
Elizabeth, 33, mother of 3 girls (4,7, &8yrs old)
3 rds of chemo(Carbo/Taxol)
Rt Mandibulectomy, rt fibular flap,& rt ND with trach, picc,& g-tube.
30 rds of rads with weekly cisplatin
SCANS ALL CLEAR!
OCF Regional Coordinator of San Antonio Walk
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 63 "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 63 | :o)
Great post...your line about the raindrops reminds of a day about 2 months after my surgery - a beautiful sunny day turned rainy and I grabbed my raincoat and walked barefeet through the rain for an hour or so...absolutely stoked to be alive!
peace.
jp
stage 2 scc in left oral tongue. 32 at dx
removed 21/12/09 plus left neck dissection and upper arm flap.
clear pathology 24/12/09
non-smoker
active footballer/surfer
social drinker
lives stress-free!
| | | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 | Thanks for that post. I need to read that tonigh. I was sitting here feeling sorry for myself because I am back to eating only foods I do not half to chew. Your post reminded me that I need to be thankful for every moment I have. By the way, what grade do you teach? I am a special ed. teacher at a middle school.
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: Sep 2010 Posts: 26 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 26 | We can relate to your post. (Although we aren't as far along as you) We had the BEST family weekend doing a bunch of fun, healthy stuff and of course no one would know just looking at us that cancer was tagging along) I kinda felt guilty having such a good time, but justified it with knowing that soon enough radiation will take its toll and TEMPORARILY put a stop to all our fun!
CG to 44 year old husband, Dx: 9/23/10 SCC T2N0M0 (Right Tonsil)
Radiation only started on 10/13/2010
13/33 Radiation Treatments done!
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | Great thoughts for a great life.
thank you.
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: 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 | You really are a very lucky one!!!! Sounds like your life is a little different now and that is ok. Glad you have a handle on living your new normal life.
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: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | Put a smile on my face too. LOL When you get the 1st burger bite, do me a favor and take one more bite for me. Try some mayo and pickle on it too along with all of the goodies. Thanks for the smile.
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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