Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 3 of 49 1 2 3 4 5 48 49
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 209
Gold Member (200+ posts)
Offline
Gold Member (200+ posts)

Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 209
I'm guilty of being the type who tries to say something positive.

The hardest lesson for me to learn is:
Be there, shut up and just listen.

ginny


Ginny, spouse of MikeG. SSC BOT T2N1M0 Stage III, Dx 06/27/06 at age 52, Tx 07/31/06 through 09/28/06 Chemo Cisplatin & 5FU x2, Radiation x42. Cancer free and doing well.
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,082
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
OP Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,082
thank god for people like you Ginny, otherwise who would there be to listen to loudmouths like me wink
charm


65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin

Passed away 4-29-13
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
When you waited 7 excruciating days to get the results of your first post Tx scan and there's a SPOT and your trusted doctor calmly says "It's probably nothing, let's wait another 3 months and take another look." Yeah I'll sleep better now!!


David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 130
Senior Member (100+ posts)
Offline
Senior Member (100+ posts)

Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 130
"But you didn't loose your hair?" (and I wonder if I'm the only one that wishes sometimes that I had lost all my hair.)

And my dear friends it is not that I do not WANT to eat it is because I CAN NOT eat. It doesn't matter how good of an idea you think it is, anything thicker than water is going to get stuck in the back of my throat and not move. SO QUIT ASKING WHAT I'M EATING!!! And if I've tried (whatever) Believe me, I have.

Amy


40 yr old. Stage IV SCC found left tonsil. PET/CT shows cancer on base of tongue, floor of mouth, lymph nodes on both sides. HPV 16 pos. 6 weeks of cisplatin, 43 days of radiation. 73gy on each side.
ND March 2, 2009
reoccurance dx'd Aug 19, 2009
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 476
Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Offline
Platinum Member (300+ posts)

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 476
My husband's "passion" is cooking. He is always watching the cooking channel even through all his treatments and loves trying new recipes. Yes I do know how to cook but I don't really like to and since he does, he has ALWAYS cooked our meals. When John became unable to eat by mouth which lasted for about 4 months I did manage somehow to cook and keep myself alive. John has lost 30 lbs even with the PEG which was removed in July. He is now eating again but it is a struggle. He has no appetite and food that he used to love doesn't taste the same and worse yet is the texture of foods.

More than one person has said to me "you just need to learn how to cook John some good meals and fatten him up". So evidently John's lack of taste, appetite and desire to eat and gain weight is due to my inability to cook. I don't know how I kept my 2 kids alive for 7 years while I was a single parent. smile


Wanda (47) caregiver to husband John (56) age at diag.(2009)
1-13-09 diagnosed Stage IV BOT SCC (HPV+)
2-12-09 PEG placed, 7-6-09 removed
Cisplatin 7 weeks, 7 weeks (35) IMRT
4-15-09 - treatment completed
8-09,12-09-CT Scans clear, 4-10,6-11-PET Scans clear
4-2013 - HBO (30 dives) tooth extraction
10-2019 - tooth extraction, HBO (10 dives)
11-2019 - Left lateral tongue SCC - Stage 2
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,260
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,260
Amy, to eat food they can have my hair too. Just one burger, one steak, tosat and bacon with eggs, geez, there are are many things that I haven't tasted for many moons.


Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,260
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,260
I do have to add this, I am alive if the opportunity presents itself.


Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,412
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,412
Here are some things people have said to me that really made me want to cut their tongues off.
"Are you sure the students will understand you", I said "Do you understand me?"
By the same person, "I know I upset you about my comment the other day, but you have to admit you do sound funny."

Another one was, "You sound worse today then you did yesterday." That really made feel like I was getting better.

I had several people as ask me, "Could I see it?" My response, "You won't see anything, it was all cut out."

4 months out and I am getting sick of people asking me how I am doing. I just want to move on and quit being reminded of what I went through from other people. You know?


Angelia
31 at Dx.
DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,
T1NOMO, T2N1M0
TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09
PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement
PEG/PORT: 11/09
TX end: 02/01/10
PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear
PEG Out: 06/21/10
Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis
HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN
Baby girl born 11-30-12
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
Angelia,

Not to break this funny thread but I am 3 years out and they still ask me "So how are you doing?". I just say "great, couldn't be better, how about you?"


David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 100
Senior Member (100+ posts)
Offline
Senior Member (100+ posts)

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 100
OK, I will be a little two faced here.

First, I will also admit to asking "How are you doing" but I think it comes from not knowing what to say or how to offer to listen if there is something the person wants to get off their chest. For those better with words, is there a better way to convey concern, compassion, etc.? I also know that I had no idea what cancer meant just over a year ago. Although, I knew some people that had the dang thing, did not know what life was like day in and out and outside of spending a couple of weeks with them, don't think I could have known what they were going through.

I know I hate that, "how is Pam doing?" or "doing today". I would like to answer with go read her CaringBridge website and get back to me but constantly end up with trying to decide what to share with the person. Is there any good answer for people with good intentions without going into a 10 minute conversation or the "doing well"?


Tom-CG to wife, Pam 46@dx
Stage IV Tongue Cancer T2N2C
Dx 6/08, Surgery 7/08, 3 nodes positive
9/08 33IMRT/7Carbo/Taxol
4/09 node biopsy positive, mets to lungs/stomach
5/09 Cisplatin or Cis/Alimta study
6/09 Cis/Taxotere
9/09 Taxotere
1/10 Xeloda
3/10 Cetuximab weekly
6/29/10 lost battle
Page 3 of 49 1 2 3 4 5 48 49

Link Copied to Clipboard
Top Posters
ChristineB 10,507
davidcpa 8,311
Cheryld 5,260
EzJim 5,260
Brian Hill 4,912
Newest Members
Jina, VintageMel, rahul320, Sean916, Megm37
13,103 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums23
Topics18,166
Posts196,921
Members13,103
Most Online458
Jan 16th, 2020
OCF Awards

Great Nonprofit OCF 2023 Charity Navigator OCF Guidestar Charity OCF

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5