| Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 13 Member | OP Member Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 13 | my dad started this process last Octobers when he had what we thought was a candor sore. The small dot on his cheek was removed and turned out to be malignant. Within two weeks after removal a lymph node became swollen. By the time it was biopsies it was four times bigger. Was also malignant. During surgery tumor was broken/ruptured and a second lymph ode was cancerous. He also had a post operative infection that required a second surgical procedure and delayed radiation/chemo treatment. Now he is 32days post radiation and feels there has been no improvement. Can't eat, has feeding tube, and has constant mouth pain , sore throat and extreme weakness he is understandably depressed. Doctors throughout this process have been really useless, we seem to get a lot of contradictory info, or doc changes story with every visit.
robin My dad age 62 lymphnodes in left cheek removed (two cancerous) chemo/radiation ended May 31, 2014
| | | | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 559 Likes: 1 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 559 Likes: 1 | Hi Robin - welcome to the family. I understand your worry about your father. However being just 32 days post radiation treatment he is still in the window for having significant side effects. Many people don't start noticeably improving until later than your father is right now. So, what I am telling you (and him) is to keep the faith.
How good a treatment facility did your father go too for radiation. I dont want to put down the facility or doctor, it's just that some are way better than others. We always try to get our members to use a comprehensive cancer center (CCC) if at all possible as those people are the best in the country at what they do.
You can always go for a 2nd opinion from another doctor. It may not be necessary for your father but it almost always makes the patient feel better, especially if they were worried in the first place.
Tell us a little more about your dad, his age, smoker or non-smoker, previous history of cancer; things like that. We aren't looking for personal information, just general so we will have an idea where he fits into our picture.
Good luck with all this Robin, we are here to help you both get through this.
Tony
Tony, 69, non-smoker, aerobatics pilot, bridge player/teacher, avid dancer (ballroom, latin, swing, country)
09/13 SCC, HPV 16, tonsillectomy, T2N0. 11/13 start rads, no chemo 12/13 taste gone, dry mouth, 02/14 hair slowly returning 05/14 taste the same, dry sinuses, irrigation helps. 01/15 food taste about 60% returned, dry sinuses are worse in winter. 12/20 no more sinus problems, taste pretty good
| | | | Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 13 Member | OP Member Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 13 | Tony, My Dad went to the Moore Cancer Center in La Jolla, Ca. He has never had cancer before. His mother had cancer in her late 80s (she survived and live to 92). He doesn't smoke. but has crohns and for a couple of years prior to this diagnosis has been on immune suppressing drugs.
Thanks for your input
Robin
robin My dad age 62 lymphnodes in left cheek removed (two cancerous) chemo/radiation ended May 31, 2014
| | | | 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 | Robin, I wrote on your other thread. How many calories is your father taking in daily? This has a direct connection on his recovery. 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: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | The few weeks following the end of radiation are typically the worst for everyone and his recocery, when it starts, will be very slow with some taking every bit of 2 years to get to their new normal. Keep his docs informedand be patient.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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