So I saw my surgeon the last week of October and all is good! Mid-November and I start getting some wild headaches (I hardly ever get headaches). Thanksgiving week I feel a knot under my left jawbone. Now I'm concerned. Can't get into surgeon that week (They said mid-December(?), so I call Oncologist and get in day before Thanksgiving. We get a scan scheduled last Friday and yep, here we go again. Spent yesterday afternoon with surgeon and we scheduled surgery for next Wednesday. Tumor is Squamous-same type, different area and side of throat. Attached to a Lymph Node but he feels confident it's very isolated and will be an easy out with no sign of metastasis! Time to go, pain is becoming a grind at this point and now dropping weight even though I am eating. Will keep all updated. BTW, although I haven't commented here too often lately this group is always in my prayers. What a great Foundation and wonderful group of people here!

Sorry to hear the news, Steve. Good luck with your surgery and I pray for wisdom and guidance for your medical team as well as the best possible outcome for you.

Steve, Im so sorry you are going thru a recurrence. Im hoping your surgery goes as planned and it can be a very simple procedure to get you back to being cancer free. Best wishes!!!

Steve,
So sorry to hear about another recurrence. On the plus side is you know the drill well. On the minus side is you know the drill well.

Let's hope you caught it early and a few snips can remove it and all will be well again.

Good luck.

Thank You All. Will keep you posted as I progress through this latest journey! I feel very Blessed and confident this will be a quick turnaround!

Hello, Steve.

I am so sorry to hear of this 4th round...so unfair! I am glad to know that you are maintaining a good attitude in the face of this latest news.

I will keep you in my thoughts and follow you through your treatment and recovery.

Love in OCF,
Kerri

Paul has been where you are - he's very knowledgable - hugs and best of luck

Thanks all and here's an update. To your point Don it turned into a lot more than a few snips. To put it in the surgeons words, it was very aggressive, growing fast, and was really "Packed" in there. It had compromised the node (Encapsulated?), and spread around a few others as well as the jugular and several nerves, which as you all know will create more opportunities during recovery and therapy! I lost the jugular vein and several nerves, #9 which controls soft palate (Left side) so everything loves to come back up through my nasal passages. It wrapped around the nerves that provide feeling to ear, side of face, etc. (No big deal, just like ear/side of face & head are asleep all the time). I am grateful though as he feels strongly that everything is clear now. As a precaution and because of the aggressive spreading my tumor board has met and my oncologist determined that he would be willing to re-radiate, especially since this is on the other side (Left this time). And of course, the decision for six weeks of chemo to accompany the radiation! With all the swallowing issues due to nerve damage I get feeding tube early, tomorrow afternoon as a matter of fact! Will be soliciting help, encouragement, and Prayers as I go along (And hopefully I can help others along my path, it's not like I haven't already learned a few things over the past nine years, much from right here). Well, enough rambling. I'm braced, Faith is strong, attitude is right, time to get it on and stop Cancer in it's tracks once and for all. I have Grand-kids to take fishing this Spring! Love you all and thanks for listening and being there for me, and for one another.

Hi, Steve.
I'm so sorry of the findings once the surgeon got in there. It seems like the timing was essential. It's good to hear that he feels confident that he got everything, though I'm sorry that you had to lose the nerves controlling your soft palate.

All of that being said, I think the decision for another round of chemoradiation is a good idea to sweep up any stragglers that could cause trouble later. As you said, you know what to expect. I admire your strong faith. I wish I had that on which to lean, but I don't. Your resolve to beat this once and for all is empowering. May you be fishing with your grandkids come spring!

Love in OCF,
Kerri

So glad your surgery went well - were I you I would push for rads. It is doable based on location. Hugs and best of luck.

Thank you. I will keep an eye on it. I had my appointment with the ent dept today. Finally I have some sort of answer. They have now referred me back to the orphoepaedic surgeon who did my spinal fusion.
They now believe that I may have an allergy to titanium I had the fusion eighteen months ago. Apparently not only can it cause the symptoms in my throat. It can also cause lesions on the tongue. I have titanium plates and screws in my. So probably yet another round of tests to come. And maybe they will have to remove the metal hardware in my neck. X

Wow steve the bravery you show is amazing I will keep you in my prayers your going to be okay people strong like you never go down because they never give up

Sorry to hear of your recurrence, as others have said you appear to have the right attitude.

As Bob Marley Said
�You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.�

Thank you all so much. I sincerely appreciate the encouragement. Tube is in and I'm getting good calories and nutritional intake now. Energy not quite where I would like it, yet! Mask and simulation next week. I am awaiting a call about Hematologist (May be shared on Wednesday during my radiation visit (They all work closely together on tumor boards so probably already on board with TX plan). Had a great and positive visit with speech/swallow therapists this past week and spent afternoon with one of my Granddaughters yesterday. She insisted we "Read Books together," which I got to do a lot of the reading and those books for 4-6 year old's can be challenging for folks like us, but a child holds no prejudices, just unconditional love. Wondering if speech therapist put my Daughter up to that - LOL! Seriously, although I fell asleep on her once it just made my day having her with me. She even helped feed me - Fearless! Great Bob Marley quote, Brian! I'm ready, let's get with it! Thanks all for the support.

Steve,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the unconditional love and reading with your granddaughter. The rest sounds good, too!

Love in OCF,
Kerri

Good luck and keep up the good fight in this WAR!!! Semper-Fi Bob

Thanks All. So I start seven rounds of Erbitux beginning next Wednesday and thirty Rounds (Six Weeks) of Targeted Radiation to begin the following Monday. I was told we were going with Erbitux since I already have the nerve damage and hearing loss from Cisplatin. I told the Hematologist it really didn't matter in my opinion if I have already suffered the side effects, whichever would give me the largest leverage of beating this for good! She stated that I would respond well to the Erbitux and if there happened to be any issues with it we would then reconsider an alternative, possibly the Cisplatin. I'm now trying to regain some nutrition and possibly some weight so I'm ready to get in the Ring and finish this! BRING IT!!!!!

Sounds like the boxing gloves are on and laced for the fight. Beat the hell out of it Steve. Also, mention carbloplatin as an alternative; it is a platin and supposed to be just as effective as cisplatin with less side effects.

Good luck,
Don

Hi Steve,
I am praying for you and hoping for a speedy recovery for you!!

Thanks All for the support. Don, I appreciate the advice and will keep it in hand. I had already received my first treatment prior to reading your post (I had a violent, chill-like shakes reaction, nurse stopped treatment, gave me a benadryl and a steroid injection, and when I got calmed down resumed the treatment). Not sure what the Doctor will make of that but I meet with her prior to my next treatment. I must say I haven't had the nausea the Cisplatin caused me. If she mentions a switch I will definitely mention your carboplatin suggestion and see what she says. Start Radiation tomorrow so time to "Lock & Load!"

Hi, Steve.

I hope you're hanging in there. You certainly have been through more than your fair share of this cancer stuff!

I just wanted to say that I also had carboplatin and taxol, with good results thus far. I didn't think the chemo was so hard to endure physically. I wasn't all that sick. The rads were a different story. I don't have any neuropathy, thankfully, but I have one hell of a case of chemobrain still. Sometimes my ears ring, but that can be due to stress.

I wish all the luck in the world! Keep fighting!

Love and hope in OCF,
Kerri

How's it going, Steve?