one more question, does everyone experience permanent hearing loss with Cispltin?

Not everyone Tony,
Again it's just one those things. Your team will monitor all of your side effects closely & you should make them aware of everything you're feeling so they can tweak your treatment accordingly.
Statisticly, chemo & R/T together increases the sensitivity of cancer cells and the 2 prong approach is more common than just using one or another. I'm sure i've read it improves 5yr survival rates. But i reliterate - WE ARE NOT A STATISTIC. & a little knowledge can be dangerous! & techniqueshave come on leaps and bounds from the 5 years ago - where these statistics are taken.
Take each obstacle as it comes & take it for what it is Tony.
All the best,
Michelle

Hey everyone, I am foggy rfo the chemo and Rad. Spent 6.5 hours then 40 minute of Rad.(needed xrays)then drove across town to walmart to get 6 prescriptions filled. They didn't have 2 of them so drove all the way across townto get the 2 filled. I have to give myself the injections for 10 days for my white blood count. No real side effects to report except some mouth soreness. See you later, Tony

Well done Tony! It's a good start!
I also had the injections after my 3rd cycle as my blood counts were low. Hb- 10.4 WBC- 2.6 PLT- 174 Neut- 1.0 . Good job we're not squeamish!

Keep it up!
Michelle

Tony,
I'm having palliative chemo---just finished 3rd cycle---my only side effects really have been low neutrophils, low red cells, and general fatigue---which I handle by resting when I need to, eat as much fruit and drink as much water as I can get down me!
I'm trying to just carry on with as many SOCIAL and enjoyable activities as I can, and have got all the practical will-making/letters to kids.

Had a chest X-Ray after last 'review', but am not even going to ask about it until NEXT review in a fortnight.

My philosophy is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst!

One of my team nurses says 'sort the worries'---ones you can do nothing about, just put on one side, ones you can, share and resolve em'
Sounds good to me--(tho it doesn't always help in the middle of the night!

Brenda

hello Everyone, I spent all day today in the hospital having a port put in and getting my Radiation treatment, then getting another prescription filled it took about 8 hours. It feel kike a full time job. Then I got home and had a message on my answering machine. It seems that the 2 notes I brought in to welfare wasn't enough and I missed my employment meeting (every Thursday at 10am) I am having a hard time dealing with the anger. When 2 doctors write you a note saying that you are being treated for recurrant cancer and can't work right now isn't enough and they want more, and the office next door approved you for medicade because of disability. They told me that once you were aprove for disability you no longer had to prove it to welfare. All of this for $320 a month that I will be paying back once I get SSI! So tommorrow I will get them 2 more doctors notes on thier official forms and show them proof I was in the Hospital. After I go get a bag of IV liquids and Radiation treament. By the way only minor side effects so far. A little ring in the ears and a headache. Lose of appitite too. I am waiting for the diarea. Stress helps! See you, oh and I couldn't drive anywhere alone so I missed my support group. I have to wait another month! Bummer.

Tony...I'm so sorry you had such a rotten day....but, on the bright side, you DID wake up this morning! ...and I'm sure tomorrow will be better for you...Let US be your support group until next month's meeting...

You are loved........Lois in NC

That's why I love North Carolina! Thanx!

Hi Tony,
I am kind of surprised that they are putting in a port when you are only having three infusions?!?! Are your veins hard to find?

I had Cisplatin and never had diarrhea. There were MANY times when I wish I did ;-)

You are quite correct that being in treatment for cancer is a full time job (with overtime). Many of us had to work all three shifts!

Your date of disability is when your claim starts which would be September of 2006. They should be giving you a big retroactive check - 6 months worth! Have you worked full time between now and then?

And just an aside. Your net value is typically the fleamarket, eBay or low wholesale bluebook according to my tax planner for net worth eligibility requirements.

You can also hire a helper and the welfare department will pay for that too, driver, housecleaner, shopping, etc. it can even be your spouse or a family member. I believe it's called IHSS or In Home Supportive Services.

This is a link to the California program. It is administered by the county welfare but funded by the Fed. They may have a similar program in your state. Have you spoken with the hospital social worker?

http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/In-HomeSup_173.htm

They pay me $1600+/mo after deductions for Medicare.

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and don't want to "step on toes" however, I feel I may be able to offer assistance to some.
I am a dentist in Canada and have been practicing for ten + years. I have been ten years cancer free although, not oral cancer.
I am trained as a counsellor and patient advocate and keep very up to date on oral cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Anyone who would like to ask me any questions I will answer them to the best of my ability and/or find the answer or refer you to someone who can.
e-mail me if I can help anyone here.

I hope this will help some of you.

Live strong,

Mike

Mike: I took your emails out of your posting, anyone can look at the Rolodex card next to your name on any of your posts and see your email address. This and the PM function keep the spam at bay. Spammers have really good programs that will, on their own, rip out email address from open pages web pages like these. That is why this program has the rolodex card - the programs can't see it in there. You don't want to get 500 junk mails a day.... which is a slow day for the foundation that has a pubic email address that gets ripped off the site by these programs routinely. Brian