Well I got my biopsy results today. The cancer is in my jaw. I'll be needing reconstructive surgery soon. I'm at a loss. Anyone who has dealt with this - I'll take any advice or guidance. Thanks.

Im so sorry, Lola!!!!

Ive been thru OC 3 times in 3 consecutive years. The 3rd round was rough, needing to have my lower jaw removed. Its a big surgery, usually 10+ hours. Ive seen many OC patients go thru this and helped them. Most have fared better and recovered faster than I did too.

Ask your doc lots of questions. Prepare yourself for at least one week in the hospital, but probably it will be more like 2 weeks (if complications maybe even longer). Line up some helpers for when you first come home. The recovery can be lengthy and you could need some help to get around (especially if the doc is talking about taking a section of bone from your leg for your jaw).

Hang in there, you can do this!!!

I'm very sorry and saddened to hear about the recurrence. You are at the right place to get wonderful insight and front line experience from many who have fought the battle with the beast more than once.

I'm praying treatment goes well and the beast is killed!

Don

My dr wants me to get Pet, head CT scan and chest X-ray. Is the chest X-ray typical? I'm trying not to read into it. I feel good physically except my C issues. How do handle the anxiety, especially at bed time?

Don, where were you treated? I'm in the same area as you.
Thanks

I'm sorry to hear about the recurrence. It's pretty much standard work up to have a chest x-ray, CT, PET-CT from the cancer diagnosis, and stage. Although my cancer was in the oropharynx, with local regional metastases, I had 7 recurrences in four years, and had to go through just about the same diagnostic procedures for each as I did with my first cancer in 2009. I tried to keep busy, and read extensively about my planned surgeries, and treatments, which may have helped with fear of the unknown, at least for me, and otherwise tried to relax, listen to music, zoned most everything out, even the mail sometimes. pumped myself up, and stay healthy.

Good luck with everything.

Thanks Paul. You are an inspiration for sure. 7 is not fair for anyone.

If you are having any issues with anxiety, you are not alone. Many OC (or any other type of cancer) patients struggle with this too. Many take anxiety meds to help them get thru things. Even many caregivers will too. Its nothing to be ashamed of, its just another tool to help get you thru this.

A chest xray s pretty standard for OC patients. Its probably being done to rule out any spread to the lungs which is a common place for OC to return to.