| Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 147 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 147 | Saw ENT on Tuesday as Jim has been having laryngitis for over 3 weeks and trouble breathing; his left vocal cord is paralyzed due to a tumor in his chest pressing on the nerve that controls the left vocal cord. He will have surgery on Wednesday to inject the vocal cord with some drugs and a prosthetic device installed; while this won't cure the paralysis, it is intended to narrow the space between the 2 vocal cords and the right one will bounce against the left one thus fixing his voice. We'll see as it sounds out there to me - his breathing is due to him working hard to try to talk, but I hear him working just as hard to breath at night when he's asleep. The PET results showed 2 new tumors in his neck and more in his chest. This is the first time that he's had anything show up in his neck since the neck dissection. The only good news to report is that I'll take him to the hospital in our Challenger and that will at least bring him a little joy.
Caregiver to Husband 50 yrs.young-non smoker/non-drinker; Stage IV - all treatments stopped August 2009 Lost the battle November 23, 2010
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 | Make sure you take the long way there - enjoy every second in the car (and no, I don't want to know what all has been going on in the car!). Keep posting. Jim is in my prayers re upcoming surgery.
Donna
Last edited by Pandora99; 05-03-2010 12:02 AM.
Donna,69, SCC L Tongue T2N1MO Stg IV 4/04 w/partial gloss;32 radtx; T2N2M0 Stg IV; R tongue-2nd partial gloss w/graft 10/07; 30 radtx/2 cispl 2/08. 3rd Oral Cancer surgery 1/22 - Stage 1. 2022 surgery eliminated swallowing and bottom left jaw. Now a “Tubie for Life”.no food envy - Thank God! Surviving isn't easy!!!! .Proudly Canadian - YES, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS WONDERFUL! (Not perfect but definitely WONDERFUL)
| | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 706 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 706 | My thoughts are with you guys. Hang in there!
cg to husband, 48 Stage 1V head and neck SCC. First surgery 9/07. Radiation and several rounds of chemo followed. Mets to chest and lungs. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." Went home to God on February 22, 2009.
| | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 307 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 307 | My thoughts and prayers are with you both too!!
Take care,
Shelley
Caregiver to husband Ron. Throat Cancer. Finished 35 radiation treatments on 11/21/04. 8/2/11 small lesion on lower gum, laser Procedure to remove. 3/6/12 Doc. removed another lesion on outside of his neck. Did a skin graft from his chest to replace the skin on his neck. Went to Heaven on 6/24/12.
| | | | Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 794 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 794 | My love and prayers to you both.
Donna CG to Mom, dx 4/25/07 with tongue cancer,T3N0,tx began 7/6/07, 31 tx's of IMRT, 8 cycles of Erbitux. Brachytherapy, surgery, left neck dissection and temp trach placed all on 9/17/07, trach removed 10/17/07. ORN of jaw, late effect of radiation symptoms. **lost my beautiful mother on 5/5/11.
| | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 383 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 383 | Best of luck tomorrow. Thoughts and prayers are with you both. I sure hope you take Pandora99's advice and have a loooong drive to hospital. Steve
SCC right side BOT/FOM; DX 1-25-06; Neck dissection/25% of tongue removed 2-17-06. Stage 2 Recurrence 7-06: IMRTX35 & 3X Cisplatin ended 10-18-06. Tumor found 03/18/13; Partial Glossectomy 03/28/13 left lateral tongue. Nov. 2014; headaches,lump on left side of throat. Radical Neck Dissection 12-17-14; Tumor into nerves/jugular; Surgery successful, IMRTX30 & 7X Erbotux. Scan 06-03-15; NED! 06-02-16; Mets to left Humerus bone and lesion on lungs-here We go again! Never, Ever Give Up!
**** PASSED AWAY 10/8/16 ****
| | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 |
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: Jun 2007 Posts: 595 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 595 | Best of luck to you both and enjoy the ride with him and have as much fun as you can1!!Semper-Fi Bob
Bob age 57, non smoker,non drinker, ended treatment on 11 Nov 2007 and started back to work on 29 Nov 2007. Veterans Day 2012 the Battle was lowered, folded, Taps was played and the Flag buried as I am know a 5 year survivor. Semper-FI !!!
| | | | Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 147 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 147 | Thanks everyone - the ride was verrrryyyy long, and tense - He gets very INTENSE when he goes into surgery. He did fine, but is in the worst mood that I've ever seen him in. He wrote me a note - basically said that this was the last straw for him - he's tired of not being able to walk across the room without having to rest, not being able to talk, constantly in pain and feeling like knives are going thru him. He won't go talk to anybody and he is almost to the point of driving me into the ground. I'm exhausted - working during the day and then home at night dealing with an intensity that we've not ever experienced. So, trying to keep my chin up and waiting for his voice to return. Thanks for letting me vent - it's been even a little more stressful around my home these past few days... Paula
Caregiver to Husband 50 yrs.young-non smoker/non-drinker; Stage IV - all treatments stopped August 2009 Lost the battle November 23, 2010
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 | Oh Lord Paula. Everything you have gone through together and NOW we get a bad mood!! I feel for him, I really do - I have certainly felt I had hit "the wall" and was too tired to continue the good fight, but you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.
Sounds like Jim is angry. It would be great if you could find a way to tell him that his anger is something you understand, but that it isn't productive, so what can the two of you do to relax those shoulders and try to enjoy each day. Sounds like a trip to the pain management people might be in order - it is extremely difficult to feel chipper when you are in pain.
Keep posting - we are here for you.
Donna
Donna,69, SCC L Tongue T2N1MO Stg IV 4/04 w/partial gloss;32 radtx; T2N2M0 Stg IV; R tongue-2nd partial gloss w/graft 10/07; 30 radtx/2 cispl 2/08. 3rd Oral Cancer surgery 1/22 - Stage 1. 2022 surgery eliminated swallowing and bottom left jaw. Now a “Tubie for Life”.no food envy - Thank God! Surviving isn't easy!!!! .Proudly Canadian - YES, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS WONDERFUL! (Not perfect but definitely WONDERFUL)
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