#46431 12-21-2005 04:00 AM | Joined: May 2004 Posts: 218 Gold Member (200+ posts) |  Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 218 | Laura,
I wish you nothing but good things. God bless and keep you on your journey. It will go quicker than you think but longer than you would like. You are young and strong. Fight.
Keep in mind that the rest of your, and your two beautiful childrens lifes wait on the other side of treatment.
If there is anything we can do please dont heasitate to ask.
God bless
Robert Christine Alison Robby Tommy Billy And Scott
SCC 1.6cm Right Tonsil 10/3/03, 1 Node 3cm, T1N2AM0, Tonsil Removed, Selective Neck Disection, 4 Wks Induction Chemo (Taxol,Cisplatin), 8 Weeks Chemo/Radiation (5FU,Hydroxyurea,Iressa), IMRT x 40, Treatment Complete 2/13/04.
41 Years Old At Diagnosis
| | |
#46432 12-21-2005 12:38 PM | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 8 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 8 | Gosh, thanks so much for all the positive feedback. I know I can do it. I had a good day today with eating and I started supplementing tube feeds at night which is going well. I think controlling the heartburn is key for me. I figure every day I can say is a good day is a blessing!
Hope everyone has a good, healthy holidays with their loved ones!
Laura G.,32 yo mother of 2, SCC of lateral tongue (T1N1M0), dx 10/13/05 w/ right partial glossectomy. 11/7/05 neck dissection at Hopkins with one positive node and further removal of tongue tissue, currently undergoing IMRT with Cisplatin
| | |
#46433 12-21-2005 02:28 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 | Hi Laura,
Sorry to hear that you're having such a rough time so early. You have a great attitude and that is going to help you alot.
Please keep posting and I look forward to hearing about things getting easier.
Happy holidays to you and your family.
Jerry
Jerry
Retired Dentist, 59 years old at diagnosis. SCC of the left lateral border of the tongue (Stage I). Partial glossectomy and 30 nodes removed, 4/6/05. Nodes all clear. No chemo no radiation 18 year survivor.
"Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger"
| | |
#46434 12-21-2005 03:37 PM | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Laura,
ask your oncologist about Pepcid AC (Famatodine) for the heartburn - it is a side effect of the Cisplatin. If you are tube feeding - do it slowly that will help also.
Gary Allsebrook
***********************************
Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
________________________________________________________
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
| | |
#46435 12-21-2005 06:18 PM | Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 126 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 126 | Laura,
Instead of Boost you may want to try Jevity. Jevity is available by precription and may be free depending on your insurance plan. My family member (ca left later tongue) had a lot of problems with nausea but the Jevity seems to help. One can of Jevity provides about 265 calories and 10 proteins. To augument this there is a product called Benecalorie which comes in a little round container and provides over 300 calories and 7 proteins and it can be added to the jevity or boost. Also available is Beneproteine which comes in a powder form and each scoop provides 5 grams of protein. These can be added to the jevity or boost as a supplement. Both benecalories and beneproteine are available through a Walgreens.
Sorry to hear about your experience with amiphostine. My family member was able to withstand about seven treatments and then eneded up in the hospital due to a bad reaction and that was the end for amiphostine.
My family member had 35 radiation treatments and 4 chemo treatments with cisplatin. Treatments ended in late July 2005 but the side effects persists. The worst one is with a very thick mucus which won't seem to go away.
We were in a similar situation with one positive node and focal extracapsular spread. We decided on both radiation and chemo to reduce the statistical changes of a recurrence. I believe in spite of the side effects we made the right decision.
Hang in there as the chemoradiation is doable.
CG to wife;
Jan 2005 DX SCC Tongue T2N1MO; RND surgery Mar 2005; 35 XRT and 4 cisplatin completed Jul 2005.
Dec 2006 tongue surgery, Scar tissue no cancer.
Feb 2010 neck node FNA - negative.
2010 ORN right jaw plus fracture
2015 ORN left jaw plus fracture
Feb 2016 Lower jaw reconstruction by Fibula free flap+titanium plate - Permanent G-tube
June 2016 Difficulty breathing - Permanent Trachea tube
Dec 2019 DX Cervical cancer - Stage 1 - Surgery Jan 16 2020.
15-20 esophagus/larynx dilations
| | |
#46436 12-22-2005 04:27 AM | Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 | Make sure you start adding some source of extra fiber if you stick to the boost or it will cause constipation (which can be a double-whammy if you're already constipated from pain meds). Jevity has fiber in it, which is another benefit of using the Jevity if your insurance covers it. My insurance is a fairly average blue cross/blue shield plan and they cover it.
Nelie
SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"
| | |
#46437 01-07-2006 05:27 AM | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 8 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 8 | Hello! Happy to report I am halfway through with my treatments. I completed #16 yesterday. The only really bad thing is the ulcers in my mouth. They are on my tongue, gums and lips. I am taking concentrated pain drops - Oxydose, which I would recommend to everyone - so I am comfortable, but I can't eat anything, and it's hard to talk. I am now on continuous feeds through my tube. I guess this is to be expected. But I think my mouth looks pretty bad. My oncologist held my chemo this week, because that can make the ulcers worse. She didn't think it would affect the overall treatment plan. It was kind of nice not to get the chemo.
I know the first half is the easy half. But I survived this far, and it hasn't been too bad.I'm still on the 'Take One Day at a Time" Plan and this works for me! - Laura
Laura G.,32 yo mother of 2, SCC of lateral tongue (T1N1M0), dx 10/13/05 w/ right partial glossectomy. 11/7/05 neck dissection at Hopkins with one positive node and further removal of tongue tissue, currently undergoing IMRT with Cisplatin
| | |
#46438 01-07-2006 06:31 AM | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 158 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 158 | Hang tight Laura. There is light at the end of the tunnel and you are moving closer to it every day.
Bill
No love, no friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever. - Francois Mauriac
Thank you for leaving your mark.
| | |
#46439 01-08-2006 04:40 AM | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 105 Gold Member (100+ posts) | | Gold Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 105 | Laura,
When I was undergoing my radiation treatments I also had some painful ulcers. My Radiation Oncologist gave me a bottle of Ulcer-Ease. It REALLY helped. I would apply it with a cotton swab or swish it around for a short period of time. It gave immediate relief.
Keep up the good work. It will be over before you know it.
John
SCC base of tongue. Diagnosed as stage IV, Sept. '04. Partial glossectomy, Radical neck dissection left side, 37 Radiation sessions, Chemo x 7 weeks. Finished treatments January '05. Cancer surivor!
| | |
#46440 01-09-2006 07:17 PM | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,128 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,128 | I'm finding the first half of the plan has been the hardest for me (to almost week five) but I'm only having radiation. This was esp true because the amifostine and I became allergic to one anthother about that time, so I just come in and lay down on the table without the preliminaries.
Also, I will have two stages of "boost" under my rad plan (I'm in one now and the next starts next [my last] week) and these seem to be have a lesser overall effect on me, altho I might just be becoming adjusted to the changes.
Once I got going on my PEG and used to it, it became "normal" and less of a hassle.
I find I want to gag everytime I try to brush my teeth, so I do that first and get it out of the way without losing food or meds.
I have continued to sip water and take most meds by mouth in order to hopefully make the return to real swallowing less of an ordeal.
Pete
Age 67 1/2
Ventral Tongue SCC T2N0M0G1 10/05
Anterior Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 6/08
Base of Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 12/08
Three partial glossectomy (10/05,11/05,6/08), PEG, 37 XRT 66.6 Gy 1/06
Neck dissection, trach, PEG & forearm free flap (6/08)
Total glossectomy, trach, PEG & thigh free flap (12/08)
On August 21, 2010 at 9:20 am, Pete went off to play with the ratties in the sky.
| | |
| Forums23 Topics18,170 Posts196,933 Members13,105 | | Most Online458
Jan 16th, 2020 | | |
|
