| | Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 1 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 1 | HI START RAD AND CHEMO TUESDAY,HEAD & NECK CANCER.NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT IT,I'M SCARED.HAD SURGERY 6 WEEKS AGO NOW | | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 6 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 6 | Hi Rick, welcome to OCF. Its natural to be afraid of the unknown. You have found the best place to go for info and support. There is so much info here and also on the main OCF pages. A search function is available in both areas.
Where exactly was your cancer? What type of surgery have you had? Are you being treated at a cancer center?
When you have time, add more info in the form of a signature line. It will help us to get to know you quicker and makes it much easier to answer any questions you may have. The signature part is located under the "my stuff' tab, then its profile nad type what you want in the box on the bottom.
Best of luck with your treatments.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 440 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 440 | Welcome Rick!
We are here to help you get through it, ask any questions that come to mind! Eat and drink as much as possible.
Dx 3/27/09 @ 28 years old with High Grade MEC T4N2M0
Elizabeth, 33, mother of 3 girls (4,7, &8yrs old)
3 rds of chemo(Carbo/Taxol)
Rt Mandibulectomy, rt fibular flap,& rt ND with trach, picc,& g-tube.
30 rds of rads with weekly cisplatin
SCANS ALL CLEAR!
OCF Regional Coordinator of San Antonio Walk
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | Welcome Rick, you're among friends who also were and still are scared. I second Elizabeth's advice. Keep us posted.
Courage!
David 2
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 14 years all clear in 6/23 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | Welcome to our home Rick and you are going thru the same as most of us did. It's natural to be afraid of the unknown.
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) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | Some good advice is the EAT< EAT EAT. the same for water, drink a lot of it.
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: Jul 2010 Posts: 27 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 27 | Rick, I'm halfway through 35 radiation treatments and 7 chemos. (My 18th rad is tomorrow; 4th chemo was Monday.) It's less scary once it starts. You settle into a routine.
My treatment team emphasized the baking soda/salt rinses, which I've done religiously, and I don't yet have any mouth sores. Which isn't to say I won't, or that the next five weeks won't be awful.
But what I've found so far is that I can deal with what's in front of me today with much less anxiety than worrying about how things might be two or three weeks from now, which I can't know and can't control.
Randy, Stage 3 tonsil SCC, node involvement, HPV-positive. 7 sessions of Taxol-Carboplatin, 35 rads finished 9/8/10. Post-TX PET and CT 12/1 showed "no metabolic evidence of residual or recurrent disease." Yay!
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