Dear Daughter.........Boy, when it rains, it pours! So sorry to hear about your Dad's gum cancer and especially so soon after recovering from the lung cancer. I am not sure if it really matters whether this is a new cancer or just the spread of the lung cancer since the cancer will have to be treated one way or another anyway. I would be interested in knowing if it is a new cancer though.

At this point I have no idea how they will treat the cancer but I would continue "beefing" him up with Ensure until they decide the best treatment protocal for him. SInce he is still recovering from the lung cancer I'm sure he will need all the additonal weight and nutrients you can get into him for a quicker recovery.

Being the sole caretaker for someone as sick as your father is quite difficult. Your emotions are pulled in so many different directions and then there is the physical care that you must give him to help in his recovery. You and your husband have a very tough job right now. However, I'm sure your father appreciates all you have done for him. Have you contacted your local chapter of The American Cancer Society? They offer a host of services free of charge that might be benifical to your father and ease your burden just a bit---grocery shopping and house cleaning are just two of the many services they offer in this area of the country. There are also support groups for caretakers that you may find helpful.

Keep us posted on how things are going, and fire away with any questions you may have. I"m sure you'll find someone here who "has been there, done that" and will be able to help you with your fathers cancer journey. Sending good thoughts your way! Sincerely, Donna

Hi everyone, here is the latest, and I think and hope and pray that I am right. We went to the lung surgeon yesterday and he referred us to an oncologist for that afternoon. This is at the Wausau Cancer Center--a part of UW Madison. We will meet with the radiologist oncologist next Thursday to get going on the therapy. This Dr. we saw yesterday feels that it is localized and treatable. We will have a CT Scan done on Monday to make sure. Meanwhile my poor dad has his catheter still in from the lung thing so we have to work that in somewhere too. I cannot begin to tell you all how your messages have meant to me. I read each of them several times and feel I am beginning to know you personally. Now I just wonder how long the therapy will be and how many weeks I will make the 60 mile trip 5 days a week. I peeked in the mouth yesterday and sure want to get that out of there. I hope these days of waiting do not give it a chance to grow out of control. Thanks for getting back to me. It gives me more of a fighting spirit. Will let you all know the progress.

I'm glad to hear that the current outlook is that the tumor treatable and that it sounds like you have good medical care. Good luck with everything. As I watched my husband deal with my illness, I saw that it had to be much harder on him in some ways than on me. Please take care of yourself also and don't hesitate to email if you want to talk.

Daughter, so glad to hear the tumor is treatable. It sounds like you have a good medical team on this, so think positive. I would also make sure you beef up your Dad with Ensure before any porcedure. He will need his strength afterward. Of course I'm a bad example, they told me that and I didn't listen. Take care and keep us posted on his progress. Anne.

Tomorrow we go to find out about the radiation. I have been reading the survivor stories and they are scaring me to death. Are the effects really as terrible as they seem? We feel so elated that this cancer is treatable, but at the same time, the radiation and how it is going to affect my dad at age 82, seems horrid. My heart goes out to all the oral cancer friends. Now that I have become aware of this, I will be a staunch crusader to make people realize how this is so prevalent. Please reply and let my family prepare for this next ordeal. Thanks and thanks again. Daughter

Daughter, Hang tight. Maybe the answer is just surgery to remove the cancer. That is all that I had with no RAD or Chemo. If they come up with clean margins maybe it will all be okay. I'm certainly not a doctor. Take care. You and your Dad are in my thoughts. Anne.

hi everyone. well. one of the worst scenerios that you can imagine happened Thurs. Both cancer drs. came in after an hour of a nurse explaining the process of radiation and told us that the CT sscan shows spread in both lungs and the adrenal glands. they want us to have a PET scan this week. and they talk as if it is a done deal and chemo will be no help. my poor dad is just in shock as our whole family. a call to the lung surgeon gave us hope as he says that only 3 months ago he checked the lungs during surgery, and they had old scarring, but no cancer and that the adrenal gland swelling could be lots of things. They dont even want to do any radiation of the gum tumor because they say whats the use. have any of you ever heard of all of this before? Any advice? We are devestated. Thanks, everyone. Daughter

A friend of our had laryngeal ssc and right before they started radiation they did a pet scan. Came back with cancer in both her lungs and her liver, so they didn't do the radiation. Instead they started her on chemo, she has been on it about 6 months and the tumors are gone now, so don't give up. God bless all of you.
Julie

hi all, well my dad is now is hospice at home. He is having some pain in the mouth which is being handled with medication. All my best wishes to everyone on this site and the loved ones. My heart goes out to all in this world who are going through this ordeal. Keep on fighting the good fight, and all your prayers are so appreciated. Will write more when things are not so rough. Sincerely, Daughter

My mother just had a PET scan to see if the cancer has recurred from Feb. 2002. The doctor told her if anything showed up on the scan it would have to be biopsied because 1/2 of positive results on PET are false positive. Maybe there is more hope than you think.