| | Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 421 Likes: 1 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | OP  Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 421 Likes: 1 | Three years ago today I was just coming out of surgery for a tonsillectomy and biopsies after a positive diagnosis of SCC Head and Neck cancer. Subsequent testing, surgeries and biopsies put me at SCC H&N Tx N2b MO Stage IV HPV+ (Not Pretty!). Unknown primaries make up only 1-2% of all H&N cancers. The road was long and extremely difficult but here I am, 2.5 years out of treatment and still kickin'! I still struggle with side effects but the "new normal" sure beats the alternatives. I'm blessed. I work hard to maintain a positive attitude and believe me that's the key. To all that were here with me and to all that are new and just starting your journey, maintaning a positive attitude is 90% of the battle. I'm doing Ok. My GP visit today showed that I gained back 75% of the weight I lost and my health is good despite cardio vascular disease and the physical and mental side effects of treatment. One day at a time and one foot in front of the other  Find a good hospital and team of doctors. Do your homework, know the enemy and trust in your team. You can and will beat the beast! My sincerest best wishes to all who supported me and fought the battle along with me, to those I knew who are no longer with us and to those who are just starting the battle...Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy, Healthy New Year! Positive thoughts and prayers "T"
57
Cardiac bypass 11/07
Cardiac stents 10/2012
Dx'd 11/30/2012 Tx N2b MO Stage IV HPV+
Palatine Tonsillectomy/Biopsies 12-21-12
Selective Neck Dissection/Lingual Tonsillectomy/biopsies TORS 2/7/13
Emergency Surgery/Bleeding 2/18/13
3/13/2013 30rads/6chemo
Finished Tx 4/24/13
NED Since
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 214 Likes: 1 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 214 Likes: 1 | Merry Christmas right back at T and all of me OCF freinds. My resolution is clear scans for all.
Hockey Dad
43, No smoke, Small BOT HPV+16
8/30/12 Biopsy found SCC in Lymph node (removed)
9/19 DX 4a T1N2aM0
10/1 TX 2x Cisplatin 35 IMRT 70 gry (Done 11/15)
PEG tube in 11/7. Out 1/4, Back at work 2/4/13
PET 2/13 Clear, 10/16 all Scopes Clear, 4/14 Chest X-ray Clear, 5/14 Abdominal ultrasound Clear, 8 yrs clean!!!
| | | | | 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 | Thanks for the update, Fishman! Wishing you all the very best with your continued good health.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and enjoy any other holiday anyone may celebrate.
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: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,291 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,291 Likes: 1 | T!
Merry Christmas. Glad to hear you're hanging in there. Drop by more often!
Don
Don Male, 57 - Great health except C Dec '12 DX: BOT SCC T2N2bMx, Stage 4a, HPV+, multiple nodes 1 tooth out Jan '13 2nd tooth out Tumor Board -induction TPF (3 cycles), seq CRT 4-6/2013 CRT 70gr 2x35, weekly carbo150 ended 5/29,6/4 All the details, join at http://beatdown.cognacom.com | | | | | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 1,275 Likes: 7 Assistant Admin Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Assistant Admin Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 1,275 Likes: 7 | I , too, would like to wish everyone in my forum family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Gloria
She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails... Elizabeth Edwards
Wife to John,dx 10/2012, BOT, HPV+, T3N2MO, RAD 70 gy,Cisplatinx2 , PEG in Dec 6, 2012, dx dvt in both legs after second chemo session, Apr 03/13 NED, July 2013 met to lungs, Phase 1 immunotherapy trial Jan 18/14 to July/14. Taxol/carboplatin July/14. Esophagus re-opened Oct 14. PEG out April 8, 2015. Phase 2 trial of Selinexor April to July 2015. At peace Jan 15, 2016.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 | Merry Christmas to you, and everyone here, also! Glad to hear you're doing well.
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | Merry, Happy, Felicitous and all the rest to you Fishman and everyone else! I'm celebrating particularly happily this year because 10 days ago I got married. First time in my life at age 62. So anything is possible.
I told my new wife that our wedding day was, of necessity, only the second happiest of my life - the first being the day my RO told me "You're cured." She was fine with that.
Love to all my OCF family on the new year.
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: Sep 2014 Posts: 87 Likes: 2 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2014 Posts: 87 Likes: 2 | Great news from Fishmanpa. The new normal is indeed far better than the alternative.
Also great news from David2. Congratulations! I've never yet been married either, but this gives me hope that maybe some woman will eventually decide that she can put up with me, haha.
Merry Christmas to all the members of our unfortunate little group!
Dx 2014Jan29 (42 yr old otherwise fit nonsmoker)
SCC tongue stage III T3N0M0
subtotal glossectomy, partial neck dissection, RFFF, trach, NG tube 2014Feb25 16 days in hospital
RAD 25 zaps 2014May5-2014Jun9
Back to work, paddling & hiking shortly afterwards
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 55 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 55 | And Happy New Year to all. With news of my second check all clear last week, Deb and I are celebrating the end of a very challenging year with dinner and dancing tomorrow night. I found a lot of help here and am grateful for that. And we're looking forward to a less interesting and challenging 2016.
Peter, age 62 at Dx
3/27/15 Dx T2N2aM0 Tonsilar P16+ G3 SCC
4/6/15 Full PET clear except for above
4/24/15 TOLM tonsillectomy/clear margins. Neck dissection 20 nodes (1 w/cancer & extracapsular extension)
5/28/15 PEG in
5/27 - 7/10/15 Daily Radiation to 66 units cumulative; Cisplatin weekly X 7
8/24/15 PEG out
9/24/15 Full body PET - N.E.D.
12/22/15 CT and physical exam. Continued clear.
3/11/16 Physical exam. Continued clear.
7/12/16 One year post-treatment! CT clear.
7/7/17 2 years post - still clear
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