| | Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,384 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) |  Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,384 Likes: 1 | In my opinion, it is a case of glass half full glass half empty. There is no way to know if your first course of treatment was 100% effective or if it took the full course of treatments to bring 100% effectiveness. For me it was about 40% to 50% odds that the surgery alone was sufficient. With radiation a higher % was yielded. The truth is it does not matter except for conversation. Besides that you have 6 to 7 weeks between the high end to the low end. Not a big enough difference to matter.
Celebrate today because none of us know what will happen tomorrow!
Mark, 21 Year survivor, SCC right tonsil, 3 nodes positive, one with extra-capsular spread. I never asked what stage (would have scared me anyway) Right side tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection right side, maximum radiation to both sides, no chemo, no PEG, age 40 when diagnosed.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 | I agree with Mark. What's the point in counting days when tomorrow is promised to no one. Celebrate the one day that you are living right now.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 716 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 716 | honor life and be true to others...it feels good to be kind...i might not be rich, but dropping off some old blankets at the local spca feels good...sure, i hate the smell of litter, but once inside the cat sanctuary and a few purrs it's all worth it...taking that dog at the shelter for a walk, giving another a pet on the head or treat or a few words of love...the way that makes me feel...i wouldn't trade it for a million dollars...not today...not after cancer...
i agree with Mark and Brian...doing what you love with whatever time you have is what makes it all worth it...
7-16-08 age 37@Dx, T3N0M0 SCC 4.778cm tumor, left side of oral tongue, non smoker, casual drinker, I am the 4th in my family to have H&N cancer
8-13-08 left neck dissection and 40% of tongue removed, submandibular salivary gland & 14 nodes clean, no chemo, IMRTx35
11-4-08 Recovering & feeling better
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 294 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 294 | RG,
I also specifically asked my ENT this same question a year or so ago. She performed my neck dissection on 9/20/06 following my last day of chemo and rad on 7/12/06. She told me that "she" did not consider my "finished with treatment day" until the day of the neck dissection. The 11 nodes she removed proved negative and because of that she starts with that date.
Bill D.
Dx 4/27/06, SCC, BOT, Stage III/IV, Tx 5/25/06 through 7/12/06 - 33 IMRT and 4 chemo, radical right side neck dissection 9/20/06.
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