Thanks Eileen for the info. I do have to wonder though what were your symtoms for you cancer?

This reminds me of a joke my dad used to say when I was little...If I asked him a simple question he would say "It kinda makes you wonder doesn't it?" "Don't wonder to far you might get lost."

And yes Eileen I understand the word river. Thanks to the Delaware I met my husband to whom I have been married to for 20 years. He use to work on a Tug that would go to Trenton hauling coal. The Anchor in was the spot. I don't know if it is still there but God was with us and has always been.

Through this whole ordeal it has brought him and I back closer again.

I am so glad I found this site. It has helped me a little so far and I feel that It will help me out more to understand and not worry so much. Thanks for caring!!! We are all going through trials and tribulations but we all need each other.

Take care and thanks again
Love
Terry

Hi Terry. I had surgery on my larynx only and just finished my rads last week. Though I have no answers I will be thinking of you and wishing you only the best outcome. We will be here for you.

Blessings,
Barb~

Hi Terry,

I too am in NC. I had my work done at REX. If you like, I can call and we can talk. I know several people locally hefre in Raleigh that went through what you are going through. I also had SCC at the base of my tongue. My disection was done on Jan 31. had two drainage tubes. Although it is surgery, it was not so bad. Removal of the tubes was easy and did not hurt at all. I am still numb around the scar, which is hardly noticable I might add, but the numbness is slowly going away. It took me 7 weeks to be able to eat after treatment to remove my PEG tube. I had it taken out the day after my disection. I finished radiation and chemo the first week in December. I think I may be able toshed some light on what to expect from here on out.

Steve

Terry,

I think the Anchor Inn changed owners and has a new name now.

I'm so sorry to hear what you are and have been going through, both physically and mentally. Being a care giver is a very tough job and I hope that somehow you and your mother will be back in touch with each other soon. It's a such a shame that this awful disease can destroy relationships, too.

As far as your questions go regarding thrush and mucositis, I would suggest that you go to the home page of this web site and use the search field on the right bottom of the page. Since I fortunately did not have to deal with these problems personally and I just don't see patients with them, I think you will find the search very helpful. Also, many members have had these problems and I'm sure you will get posts with helpful advice.

I'm sure it would be helpful having your sister for support and I hope that you won't be feeling that badly from the lymph node surgery. You should plan on someone being there for you at home, for at least a few days, probably for transportation, if needed.

Good luck and I am leaving tomorrow for a few days and probably won't have access to a computer until Sunday. Will be thinking of you.

Jerry

Thanks for the encouragement and info. I have an appointment with the doctor tomarrow morning @ 8:00 and hopefully she will be able to answer some of my questions. My mouth and throat are really giving me a fit!!
I don't know what to call it either mucos or phlem that is choking me in my mouth and my mouth being dry!! When I sip water it makes my mouth sore so then I have the wonderful comfort mouthwash! I also do mouth rinse and have been with salt and soda water. I make it stronger than suppose to maybe this is my problem. I'm not for sure but I don't have any problems but with my mouth!!!
It has made it hard today because we are short on help and this causes me to talk more. Plus training a new employee. It is not good for my mouth or throat!!!.

Take care
Love
Terry

Terry

I had neck dissection only on one side, but I had cancer of the tongue also. I am in NC also, I went to Greenville for help. I had surgery twice one to remove tumor from my tongue and then I noticed swollen nodes and then had the neck dissection only on one side. I was in the hospital each time over night. It didn't hurt when the drain was taking out. I did radiation & chemo after surgery, the Dr. 1st didn't think I would need it because the tumor on my tongue was small, then when I went back about the nodes he didn't think it was cancer. I told him I wanted them out, and that was a good thing 3 were cancer. After that he decided I need both rad.& chemo. Where are you going for treatment? I'm in Wilson and go to Greenville for everything. I will put you on our prayer list at church. I will be thinking of you on Sept. 2, and wish you all the best.

Joan

Thanks so much you made my day!!! It has been a tough day. We had to make some decisions (just in case and things you should have done anyway) for our wills. I still am scared but you gave me hope. I have been going to Greenville. Pitt ENT Dr. B...... is doing the surgery and I believe he has my best interest in mind.

I first saw a surgeon in Washington about a lump on my neck found by my doctor during a routine physical and he said that it was probably a cyst and he could take it out that Friday. (I only has an ultrasound done at this point) This was in the beginning of Oct 04. I wanted a second opinion and went back to my regular doctor and told her this and she said that insurance doesn't pay for a second opinions.

I kept all this to myself not wanting to worry any one and things at our business got busy so I just put things off. Then I started noticing that under my jaw bone I my glands were getting swollen and was not going down.

After Christmas and getting inventory straight I went back to my doctor and she schedules a mri. She mentioned that it was suggested on the report from the people who read the ultrasound for me to have a mri.

She called me at home as soon as she got the results and told me I had to see a surgeon right away and scheduled an appointment with a surgeon at the Brody school of Medicine. My husband went with me to the surgeon and he said that he couldn't do anything because there was something in my tongue way in the back that he couldn't see it and sent me to Pitt ENT that very same day.

At Pitt ENT he looked at my scans and said he wanted to get a better look at it and had to do the camera thing up my nose to see my tongue and throat. He numbed the pathway first but it still had me sitting on edge. I am a very anxious person and suffer from anxiety. He then told us that he wanted to do a biobpsy to find out exactly what it was to rule things out.

I had the biopsy done and it was cancer. We had different ways to approach it and we chose to try radiation and chemotherapy first then surgery. We were in shock the words of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery were not really sinking in as much as cancer. I had an uncle pass from a tumor he had on his brain 5 years ago so It scared me.

I know now that there are so many different cancers out there and treatments are so different and cancer is so unpredicable that all we do is the best we know how and keep up our hope. With people like you and the others on this site giving us that are going through this encouragement and to know that we are not alone helps a lot.

I was so sick from the radiation and chemo people just didn't think that I would make it. With prayers and my mother and family doing all that they can I am still here working back in our business 6 days a week. Everyone says I look fantastic.

My main concern right now though is how long will I be in the hospital. From my understanding you went home the next day? how many days after surgery did the tubes come out? Then how about the staples. ?

With running a business and school starting I really do not have much help available. I have a lot of people praying for me I just have a hard time asking for favors and help. Maybe this is a learning experience. I know it has let my employess do more. They want to do more to help me because I do look out for them and they missed me when I was out for 3 months with the radiation and chemo.

Love
Terry

Terry, as far as work is concerned, look at it this way. When you are WELL, you can come back full bore and hug everyone that helped you through this. But if you try to work before you are well and cause yourself more stress, you are making it tougher on everyone. While I am the caregiver in our situation, I was a 24-7 employee of our family owned business. When John was diagnosed, I called my bookeeper and 2 saleswomen in and said "it's your baby until John is well" They have done a great job without me and have even made some improvements. Concentrate on yourself for now. Best luck. Amy

Hi Terry,
If you will look at the signature of most regular posters, you will see when and what their diagnosis was and their treatment. For those of you, if you that have not done this, please update your signature on your profile. It gives people a base as to what and where your anwsers are coming from. I also recommend including year of treatment, because protocols change.

Take care,
Eileen