Hope everything went ok with your biopsy, today was it? Praying that everyone turns out ok!

Biopsy is over with. All about the waiting now. UAB team top notch. i was the first surgery of the day. had to be there at 5am. lots of residents, great anestesialogist (sp. The doc even called to check on me friday night. He has made a point to let me know he will personally call me as soon as he gets the results. Next scheduled appt the 20th. Should have results and a game plan in place by then. Changed meds to oxymorphone. same results. just not strong enough. i am making myself go 3 hrs in between pills. Pain has progesively gotten worse every week since mid july. up until then it was an anoyying ear ache. ever since then it has turned into a pain i can't really describe.

Jamos,
I had a similar pain. My GP put me on Gabaplatin Sp. AKA Nurotin Sp., along with the Oxy. It was a godsend for me. It is not a narcotic and few side affects (I got a bit of blurry vision). It some how soothes the nerves.

Praying for good results on your Biopsy,

Its interesting how differant things affect differant people in differant ways. I was given Gabapentin and became a mental mess and had to go to the hospital. I halucinated and saw all kinds of things that were not real. Maybe I took to much but it now on my danger list.

Well I got the phone call. It is cancer. I was at work and upset so I didn't go into details as far as stage and type.
They did say that right now they want to do treatments instead of surgery. I have appt's next Wed with a Dr Ruby Meredith at UAB and a DR. Lisa Nabell.

Anybody got any advice or comments on these docs I would appreciate it.

Is treatments instead of surgery a good sign?

Im very sorry that you will be another oral cancer survivor. Most doctors will wait until they are face to face with a patient before they give that kind of news. While you are at work wasnt the most appropriate way to be told you have cancer.

The OCF does not recommend one doctor over another or give specific recommendations other than to get the best possible care you can and a cancer center is usually the best place for treatments. Some members who have been seen by the doctors you mentioned may be able to give you their own personal opinion (preferably thru a PM).

I would suggest getting a second opinion at a cancer center before beginning any treatments.


PS... Please add a signature when you are able to. Click on the "My Stuff" tab, then on the drop down menu click on "Edit Profile". Scroll to the bottom and write your info in the white box and "Submit". It will make helping you much easier by seeing your history at the bottom of your posts.

JAMOS

Yeah it really sucks when the doctor calls you on the phone at work and tells you it's cancer. I was at a meeting and when the doctor could not reach me only my office voicemail, he called home and asked my wife for an emergency number. She gave him my Blackberry number which I always answered. I suppose I should be grateful he didn't leave a message with my wife.
Next thing you know, they will tweet us.
Oh and TX with radiation and chemo instead of surgery is used for many oral cancers.
Charm

JAM,

Sorry for the news my friend and Dr's are about as considerate of feelings as a Marine Drill Sgt. The best thing you can do for yourself is to remain calm, managing fear, worry, and stress is very important during treatment. I can go into the physiological reasons for this but I'll spare everyone the details and just say that it's extremely important.

The only things we can control after our choice of medical teams is our attitude and our nutrition, and in my opinion these are almost as important. Remember to breath, spend time with loved ones, enjoy the foods you love from now until treatment starts, and just remember to take things one step at a time. We are here for support, advice, and to vent...so plug in as much as you can.

Keep your chin up

Eric

How funny. I just caught myself walking down a hall at work with my shoulders slumped forward, chin on my chest and a million things running around my head. I remembered my 96 year old grandmothers advice after my divorce years ago.

KEEP YOUR CHIN UP!!!! lol

I'm going to have my melt down tonight in the privacy of a hot bath. I'm going to gather myself and face the world again tomorrow just as I always do.

I'm pretty much at peace with life. My concerns are the stress on my family. If I brought this on myself through years of hard living. I hate that my family has to bear the end results.

That guilt is tough.

Thanks for everyones advice and support.
I will keep posting as I know more.

Hi JAMOS:

I just sent you an email with some doctor information. You have the support of the entire OCF behind you, and that is priceless.

julieann