I'm new to posting on the internet but I've been on this sight alot recently and have gotten alot of support without anyone even knowing it. My husband, 47, was diagnosed with stage 4 oral cancer in July 2007. He had been complaining to several doctors for almost a year about a blister on floor of mouth accompanied by swollen glands. He was told he had a blocked salivery gland. Finally we found the right doctor who took one look and knew it was cancer. He had surgery at Columbia University Hospital where they removed half of his lower jaw and replaced it with leg bone. He also had floor of mouth removed and replaced with leg tissue. He had about 28 lymph nodes taken, several of which were positive for SCC. Following a lengthy recovery he had seven weeks of cysplatin and radiation. A couple of weeks into it another swollen node popped up and was found to be positive. After the chemo and rad he had a second surgery and was found to have a metastasis to right lung. We will be starting Erbitox this coming week. Sorry to be so long-winded but i know you'll all understand.

Hi Sue Marie- So sorry to hear of your husbands recent battle with scc. Also dissapointing to hear that he was mis-diagnosed. I was as well. If there is anything I can do or you have any questions please let me know. I know this is very very hard to deal with.

Kate

Sue,

So sorry you both are having to deal with this but we are here to help as much as we can.

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts. We both feel like this has all happened so fast. We have three teenagers and they have been blindsided by this also.

Hello Suemarie. What a load you all have to deal with. You have come to the right place for support among people who will understand like no others. Did your husband have CT scan before treatment started? Just wondered when the lung mets was discovered? I have heard some positive things about the erbatux chemo in arresting the disease, although I understand it is not a cure. I send you strength and courage to face the days ahead, try to stay positive. Ask for help as you need it.

I get rads daily for 4 weeks and the erbitux once a week, I wish your hubby well thru his journey with this stuff. Keep posting and us up to date.

Sue,
ditto to the above comments. You are in the right place for support... God bless you and your family. I'm new myself, but I've learned already that this is a sincere, caring bunch we have here.

My husband had a CT scan prior to the second surgery and that's when they found the mets to lung. He already had the date to remove additional node from neck and they did a bronchioscope to diagnose spot in lung. If the erbitux is not a cure does it just keep it at bay for awhile? The doctors won't give us a staight answer. I understand that they can't predict the future but I feel like we're not getting all the facts either. Anyway my husband is far more positive than I am although I put up a good front. He is truly an amazing person.

i think the most important thing is not to loose your faith and courrage. it is a hard situation, a difficult fight i know but we will be the winners. never give up hope. i think it's the most important weapon.your husband needs you by his side more than ever before. try to think positive. hope for the best.

Hi Sue,
Your husband is my age and had the very same surgery I had in 2003. I had a recurrance last August, on my tongue, and had to have more surgery. So far so good. I can only imagine how he's feeling, being so young and being in such a precarious position.........wife, young kids still at home, so much in life he still wants to do. I can also emphathize with your teenagers, we have three, although they are the youngest of our seven. Our girls were blindsided by my new cancer this year. Tell your husband to do some soul searching and if he puts his mind to it, he can learn how to live for the moment, enjoy the day in front of him rather than worry about tomorrow. I know it sounds trite but trust me, once I allowed myself that luxury my life turned around. I have spent the past few months building so many memories with my family, memories I might not have taken the time to do if I spent all my time worrying about dying.

Put your doctors backs to the wall and tell them you want definitive answers, or at least the closest truth they can give you. And never, ever give up hope. With all the new treatments we just never know how it will end up.
Take care,
Minnie

Minnie just gave you some great words of wisdom. I wish you and your hubby the best and praying he licks this stuffs rear. Live for the present and the future will take care of it's self.

Minnie- Thanks so much for your inspirational words. This board has helped me come to terms with all this. Sometimes i think it takes more effort to be positive. The survivors who have responded give me so much hope. I think for all the horrors of this disease-it brings out the best in people.

My sincere best wishes in your up coming struggle.share it with us and it will be more bearable i promise.

love liz