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I will check out the EnternalLite Infinity pump today. But I do so want to get off the "feedings". I know, I know, don't we all ! Just can't understand why my throat is still so red, raw and swollen after a year and a half. Coupled with not having enough saliva to get anything to get to the back of my throat to even swallow.

Every night I go to sleep thinking it will be better tomorrow. Some days I want to run down the hallway in our house just to get away from the horrible taste in my mouth and the painful swallowing but there are two problems with that: I can't run anymore and it just doesn't work that way. Besides I would be clear at the other end of the house and my glass of ice water would be at the other end....not good !

I get so tired of this. If it is not the mouth/throat problems it is the kidney stones and/or the back fractures. When do we get a break ? Then I feel guilty as there are so, so many people much worse off than I am. This is such a battle. I have always been so precise, organized, and in control but now I am not in control of anything. I get so tired of people saying aren't you eating yet ? Have you tried pudding, jello, cottage cheese, smoothie, milk shake, etc. Duh ! Why didn't I think of that ! I know they mean well but.........

We have 3 dogs, not by choice but you know how that goes. A 12 year old golden retriever, my shadow named Jack-Jack. A kinda mutt named Widget, part jack russel who is also 12. He was a surprise. Hubby went to the grocery store close to closing time. A guy outside the door was offering a free dog......my hubby ALMOST got past him till he heard him say "guess I will put this dog out on the highway on my way home". Poof we had dog number 2. They are both well trained and good dogs each with their own little quirks. Then about 4 months ago my brother (in the wheelchair) had this wild thought to get a 4 year old black lab from the pound named Butch. After 2 days he decided he did not want the responsibility. He was in bed for weeks with a pressure sore and could not get up. Butch would not use the doggie door to go in and out. Hubby even crawled through it to show him how. (now that was a sight to behold). Didn't work so we brought the dog home. He dearly loves my hubby but Butch is not well mannered. He does have a history of nipping 3 people so we have to put him away when the grandkids are here. I just do not trust him and as of yesterday when I came home to my very favorite shoe in the whole world chewed up I don't even much like him. And if you don't understand that, ask your wife about favorite shoes. He is the one I would not take out on a leash. My hubby does not want to take him back to the pound as the dog has not had a fair shake in life. (Such a kind heart he has, he has even put up with me for 43 years and not once said he would take me back to the pound either. Amazing ! ) And, he thinks Butch is a good dog and has "potential.....we'll see about that !

Your job sounds very enriching and satisfying. We sure needed you here last week after hurricane Matthew. So many roads, bridges and dams out. It has been crazy. We lost power for about 24 hours and two tall pine trees. One stopped about 20 foot from the house. We are now in the process of finding someone to take down about 6 more. It was interesting getting from one end of town to the other with all the road wash outs and sink holes but we faired well.

Hubby volunteered with a local Men's group and the Red Cross helping with meals for the homeless. Our meeting place is one of the staging areas for disaster response. They cook and package up the meals that go out to many areas. Just down the street from us they are preparing 15,000 to 30,000 meals a day to hand out along with water and finding places for the homeless to stay. It is just mind blowing! My hubby was in charge of cooking chicken breasts on Sunday and now he says he never wants to see another chicken in his life !

Maybe that is a good thing because while he was in the Air Force flying B-52's the whole crew one by one would call me and ask me not to feed Jerry chicken the night before a flight. Seems as though it made him gassy at high level and they had to put up with the smell. It is not like you can open the window......yep this is probably more info than you wanted to know but we have always teased him about eating chicken. Thank goodness it did not soak in Sunday while he was cooking and we had an uneventful quiet night.

I will close with that story, I know Jerry will be grateful that I don't tell any more pilot stories right now.....but I've got lots.

Take care and don't worry to much about that to-do list.







Sept 2002 Rt breast cancer no chemo or radiation.
March 2015 Rt tonsil cancer - walnut size lump rt side neck.
March 2015 Scan, biopsy confirm
March 2015 Port, G tube placed, 10 teeth removed.
July 2015 completed 5 chemo/35 radiations
Sept 2015 Cat Scan all clear
July 2016 G tube, port still in place
Ive had Thyroid "graves disease" and Lupus for many years.
4 kidney stone surgeries past 3 mo with over 100 stones still there !

*** Update... Jo passed away 12/20/17 ... RIP Jo ***

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The Kangaroo pump or the Kangaroo Joey pump are 2 widely used feeding pumps. Ive used them both successfully for years. All you need is for your doc to write a prescription for you to get started with a medical supply company. There should be a nurse who comes out to show you how to use everything. You can then eat while you sleep or while sitting in the living room watching tv or using a laptop. You should have one of those hospital poles to put the pump on so you can move it from room to room. When using a pump its very important to remember when doing feedings you must be sitting up or if in bed propped up on a few pillows. If not doing feedings on an incline the formula can actually cause aspiration which can lead to aspiration pneumonia which is no fun at all!!!


Hang in there, it really does get easier as time goes by.



PS... @Jo you know what numbers you need to hit every day. PLEASE push to hit these minimums!!! I cant stress enough how vitally important your intake is. If you are doing 3 cans plus 3 cups, what about flushing your tube and taking meds? It all adds up to 6x8oz = you did it!!!! At 48 oz its the minimum you should get daily which is good. But... I know you can push yourself to take in more so you can feel better and recover.


Christine
SCC 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 smile
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Thanks ! I will check into the Kangaroo pump. I have a pole because that was how we were going to go in the beginning but my pride got in the way. I said No way, not going to be tethered to a pole. But, swallowing here.....I think it would be a lot easier to use a pump.

Yes, we both know you are right in that I do so need to get more nutrition and water in me. I fight it every day and every day say I am going to do better. But, hubby got wind of what I am supposed to be doing and he is all over me now to make nutrition and water my first priority. I can bet I will be doing more just to quiet him ! Thanks for reminding me again how very important it is as well as reminding others here the same. And, thank you again for being here for ALL of us !


Sept 2002 Rt breast cancer no chemo or radiation.
March 2015 Rt tonsil cancer - walnut size lump rt side neck.
March 2015 Scan, biopsy confirm
March 2015 Port, G tube placed, 10 teeth removed.
July 2015 completed 5 chemo/35 radiations
Sept 2015 Cat Scan all clear
July 2016 G tube, port still in place
Ive had Thyroid "graves disease" and Lupus for many years.
4 kidney stone surgeries past 3 mo with over 100 stones still there !

*** Update... Jo passed away 12/20/17 ... RIP Jo ***

Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 111
Senior Member (100+ posts)
OP Offline
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 111
Jo,

Sorry for the delayed response. Had some minor issues to deal with that ended up taking longer and more energy than I had initially thought.

I understand the feeling of wanting to just get away from the daily grind and then feeling guilty because other people do have much worse things to deal with. (If there were a way to take a vacation form my neck and mouth......I would be the first in line to sign up.)

Remember what I had said earlier - We were given this path for a reason. Maybe we will learn why, maybe not. But family and friends are a witness to how we deal with our problems. I would like to think I'm a good model for how to deal with adversity for my kids. Conversely, my voicemail still has my old message attached (pre-speech impediment). It confuses the heck out of people, but I can't bring myself to re-record it. So maybe I'm not as comfortable as I need or should be.

Although it can get lonely sometimes, you're not along in your struggles.

Glad to hear your family weathered the hurricane without too many issues.

Had to laugh about your chicken gas in the sky story....






1997 SCC Tumor on tongue - Partial Gloss
1997 Met to Lymph
Radical Neck Dissection / 2nd Partial Gloss
6 weeks chemo and radiation
Brachytherapy
2011 Stroke
2014 Recurrence SCC at Base of Tongue / Hemi-gloss
Free Flap reconstr from thigh
PEG Tube
Radiation
Permanent Issues with speech and swallowing
2018 - Bleeding throat / mouth
2019 - Bleeding throat / mouth
2019 - 3rd diag Cancer SCC Base of mouth / jawbone
2019 - Aug remove portion of jaw / right pec det / free flap closure and tongue

Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 85
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 85
Hi BJ,

Hope you got your issues worked out and back on an even keel. The fall colors must be in swing there by now. I check out fall pictures of the northeast often and am breathless at the golden array. Every year we say we are going to head out and go on a long site seeing trip. Friends sent us pictures a few days ago from a Michigan of a heavy snow dusting they just had. I was blown away.......already ?

We have special friends in Ohio and should get up there to spend some time with them. They come visit us about twice a year. They guys play golf and talk airplanes and the girls shop. So fun every time to have them here.

Our trips usually consist of flying to Seattle where Jerry is from or driving to Orlando to Disneyworld. I love going to Disney, just walking through the gate makes me forget all my troubles and I feel like a kid. I don't do the rides but my favorite is the haunted house. We have had a time share for many years and love it. Have gone to New Orleans and Branson, etc. always fun to get away but nice to get back home too.

The packing is a little more involved now having to pack food and equipment. My "shaving kit" as I call it is tripled in size with biotene, syringes, tape, q-tips, food, etc, etc. but, true to me I have check lists for every different type of trip. I pack days and days in advance then check the bags again. Hubbys mode of operation is to throw everything in a bag that morning. He rightly reminds me that anywhere we go DOES have stores to pick up what we forgot. yes, I do go back and check his work adding a few extras. Drives him crazy. LOL.

We are going on a 7 day cruise in January with our daughter and son in law. So looking forward to it. Although I had envisioned being off the feeding tube by then but it is looking like that is not going to happen. Painful to think of all that food on board and me dragging packages of stinky food around. I do have a scooter and trying to decide if I will take it along. Often they are more trouble than not.

I did start the Real Foods Blend packages on Monday. Oh my gosh how horrid it smells ! For the first time I am glad I can not taste much by putting the nutrition down the tube. I have only been doing about four ounces a day along with the 2Cal. Going slow so I don't have any reaction to it. So far, so good. I am researching how to combine foods to put through the blender. That is far more involved than just throwing stuff together to have the right calories and nutrients needed. Then I have to consider all the foods I need to avoid for the kidney stone formation.

We have had the grandkids (ages 3, 2, and 1) here to spend the night several times in the last two weeks. We love time spent with them but when they leave boy do I sleep ! Actually I am so amazed at how much I do sleep. Jerry always says, I am healing while I sleep, if so I should be superwoman by now.

The local Men's group has closed the disaster operations at our Church but there is a small group of Red Cross volunteers still there. There are a lot of workers out repairing roads and dams and still some families who need help due to mold in their homes etc.

We are having 6 very tall pine trees removed next week from the yard that are in direct path of our house. I really hate to see them go and I am sure I won't be able to watch that operation but better to not hit our house or the neighbors. Sure is expensive to have it done but far less stressful than Jerry doing it on his own.

I need to get back to the sewing room and tackle many back log projects. I make quilts for friends who have lost loved ones from their t-shirt stash. I have 3 sets of 25 to 30 t-shirt stacks waiting for me. Not anything I advertise but word gets around fast. I don't charge anything so I stay busy with that when I have the energy. Problem is each person wants their quilt done yesterday, that does not happen now.

Hoping things are going well for you and that you are enjoying the fall weather. Take care and remember to embrace this path we are on, as you have taught me.

Jo











Sept 2002 Rt breast cancer no chemo or radiation.
March 2015 Rt tonsil cancer - walnut size lump rt side neck.
March 2015 Scan, biopsy confirm
March 2015 Port, G tube placed, 10 teeth removed.
July 2015 completed 5 chemo/35 radiations
Sept 2015 Cat Scan all clear
July 2016 G tube, port still in place
Ive had Thyroid "graves disease" and Lupus for many years.
4 kidney stone surgeries past 3 mo with over 100 stones still there !

*** Update... Jo passed away 12/20/17 ... RIP Jo ***

Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 111
Senior Member (100+ posts)
OP Offline
Senior Member (100+ posts)

Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 111
Jo -

Actually around Pittsburgh the leaves are only partially turned. We've had a mild fall so far with a fair amount of rain so the leaves are about two weeks behind where they should be. (Just means that I'll be raking and blowing leaves in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.)

The issues were health related. Quick bout with pneumonia. But I'm over it now and back to normal. (Actually, I'm feeling better than I have for years. I started physical therapy about a month ago for my neck and jaw. The short term pain is tear inducing, but I think I'm starting to see some improvements. Improved mobility / motion side to side, less cramping and slight improvements in swallowing and jaw movement. I'm not expecting any miracles, but I'm grateful for the improvements.)

I think its great that you are able to travel and don't lose yourself to the everyday trials that come with our health issues. I'm finding that I'm less comfortable than ever at social functions / extended family gatherings. (I've never been anxious in ANY situation before, so this is new to me......and I think it will take me awhile to come to terms with the core of what is causing it.)

Have you started with a pump yet or are you still doing the gravity feed? BTW - I highly recommend unflavored feed. I tried vanilla flavor, because I used to love vanilla bean ice cream and warm apple pie with a dusting of cinnamon. Let's just say the experience is not the same.....not even close.

It seems as though your family has a great foundation in their faith and their daily actions are a manifestation of your beliefs. That's fantastic.

Quilting. My grandmother and her friends used to meet once a week or so to quilt, (and gossip). Some of the patterns she would do were very intricate others were very simple, but they all were beautiful. I'm sure yours are beautiful as well.

Keep up the good work and let me know how the pump is working for you, (when you get it.)

BJM


1997 SCC Tumor on tongue - Partial Gloss
1997 Met to Lymph
Radical Neck Dissection / 2nd Partial Gloss
6 weeks chemo and radiation
Brachytherapy
2011 Stroke
2014 Recurrence SCC at Base of Tongue / Hemi-gloss
Free Flap reconstr from thigh
PEG Tube
Radiation
Permanent Issues with speech and swallowing
2018 - Bleeding throat / mouth
2019 - Bleeding throat / mouth
2019 - 3rd diag Cancer SCC Base of mouth / jawbone
2019 - Aug remove portion of jaw / right pec det / free flap closure and tongue

Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 85
Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Offline
Supporting Member (50+ posts)

Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 85
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you and I do not even have pneumonia to use as a reason. So sorry you have had to deal with that but nice to hear you are on the mend.

Yes, Jerry will be raking leaves and riding his lawnmower here till Thanksgiving too, good thing he likes that line of work. I am busy cleaning and putting the hummingbird feeders away and setting up the bird feeders (well, we should call them squirrel/bird feeders). I love to watch the bright red cardinals at the feeder right out the window, sometimes four or five at once. A beautiful bird visited a lot, last winter and we finally purchased a bird "picture" book and learned it is a type of woodpecker. Upon investigation we discovered they have been quite active in the woods behind our house. No wonder we are having to have trees removed !

Jerry sawed up one of the trees that had fallen during hurricane Matthew even though they are coming to do that when they take 5 or 6 trees down next week. But, he just bought a new chain saw and has been going crazy to get to try it out. Must be a guy thing ! He was more sore than he wanted to admit ......but happy.

Yes, social functions and family gatherings are stressful for me too. I think it is because I try to let on that I am doing so much better than I really am. Now is this to bring them relief or me ? I am not sure. I guess it is the old "I'm fine" refrain because you know they don't really want to hear the whole story.

Sounds like the PT is bringing very good results ! I have poo pooed PT in the past a few times thinking I just did not have time for that but when I have done it I have to admit the results showed. Even though PT is time consuming it would be good to remember that sometimes we just must stop and take care of our needs.

I am still doing the gravity feeding but I have been very slowly working on introducing Real Foods Blend and Liquid Hope to my 2Cal diet. The stuff stinks and does not have quite as many calories as the 2Cal so I am trying to get an extra feeding in a day. When I get this down pat and transitioned to this new "better for you" formula I will call the doctor to request Real Food Blend or Liquid Hope along with the infinity. I find that I sure take change a lot slower than I used to. I guess that is a fear of feeling worse than I already do.

Woke up a couple of days ago just a wee bit not as gagging dry as I have been for so long. So this has been a very encouraging change and much appreciated.

Oh the warm apple pie and ice cream, what a delight that was ! Our son and daughter in law invited us over a couple of weeks ago and served warm (abet) store bought Apple pie along with birthday cake. I took a spoonful of the apple sauce and it was heaven. I hate to say it but I kept going back for another spoonful and another until I had devoured almost all the pie juice. They didn't mind thank goodness but it was a family group laugh the way I was acting ! I need to get in the kitchen and make an "apple juice" pie. I am working on dipping a spoonful of banana nut bread in soup lately and getting that down without a lump in my throat for two hours. Four or five bites is quite enough for now but a real treat. Funny how eating is so much work.

Please take care of yourself, no more pneumonia and keep up with that physical therapy!





Sept 2002 Rt breast cancer no chemo or radiation.
March 2015 Rt tonsil cancer - walnut size lump rt side neck.
March 2015 Scan, biopsy confirm
March 2015 Port, G tube placed, 10 teeth removed.
July 2015 completed 5 chemo/35 radiations
Sept 2015 Cat Scan all clear
July 2016 G tube, port still in place
Ive had Thyroid "graves disease" and Lupus for many years.
4 kidney stone surgeries past 3 mo with over 100 stones still there !

*** Update... Jo passed away 12/20/17 ... RIP Jo ***

Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 111
Senior Member (100+ posts)
OP Offline
Senior Member (100+ posts)

Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 111
Jo -

I grew up in rural area nextdoor to my grandparents. Between my grandfather and my dad, they taught me everything. Rough and finish carpentry, cabinet making, plumbing, electrical, roofing, how to work on engines, hunting, and, of course working with chainsaws.....There's just something so satisfying about a good days work with your hands. Hard to explain unless you experience it on a regular basis.

I felt so good last night after blowing all the leaves from my yard I grabbed my axe and tried splitting some wood. Probably not the best idea!!! Not quite ready for that activity. Maybe I'll try again in few months.

The apple pie brought back some memories. My grandfather and I used to pick apples and peaches form their orchard and my grandma would make apple butter / apple and peach pies / apple dumplings / canned apple sauce / peach jelly. I really miss her cooking. Home made bread with real butter and apple butter was a great treat!

My grandparents were very simple, honest people living on very limited means. They were married during the depression and raised a family as best as they could manage. They were by far the strongest most decent people I've ever known and I was lucky enough to have spent a great deal of my youth around them.

There are a lot of nice people in the world.....far fewer GOOD people.

I was blessed in having a strong family and great friends throughout my life. Conversely, I STILL haven't been able address the issues driving my anxiety at family / social events. You're right about the "I'm fine" line by the way. Nobody really wants to hear the gory details so why "rain on their parade". Here is what I'm hoping for - the increased energy and benefits from the PT will reduce the intensity of the emotional and mental issues I'm stuck with. Thanksgiving will be my next attempt to work through it.

Keep trying different things with your feeding. You will eventually find something that works well for you.

Great news about your increased saliva in the morning. (Now there's a sentence I never thought I would write!)

Get back to the PT....It will help in the long run


1997 SCC Tumor on tongue - Partial Gloss
1997 Met to Lymph
Radical Neck Dissection / 2nd Partial Gloss
6 weeks chemo and radiation
Brachytherapy
2011 Stroke
2014 Recurrence SCC at Base of Tongue / Hemi-gloss
Free Flap reconstr from thigh
PEG Tube
Radiation
Permanent Issues with speech and swallowing
2018 - Bleeding throat / mouth
2019 - Bleeding throat / mouth
2019 - 3rd diag Cancer SCC Base of mouth / jawbone
2019 - Aug remove portion of jaw / right pec det / free flap closure and tongue

Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 85
Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Offline
Supporting Member (50+ posts)

Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 85
Finally getting the chance to reply. My brother has been in a wheelchair for 43 years. He lives alone and has been in pretty good health until recently. He has been dealing with a bed sore on his butt for a few months. we think this is due to air loss in the cushion. He had to be in bed for several weeks to clear this up which caused an open sore on his right hip.

Trying to clear that up he over-laid on his left hip and now has a nickel size open place on the left too. He is now reduced to bring on one side or the other for only about one hour at a time then has to flip back on his back which he hates. He can't do anything in this position and so bored out of his mind. I have been staying at his house for a week (seems so much longer!) to help him. We have had a wifi problem at his house that is hopefully fixed now so I can read and reply on my iPad.

Read your post of your childhood with great envy. I close my eyes and think how wonderful that must have been. I had pretty much the opposite start to life with 3 sisters and 3 brothers. I am the baby of the family. 1 sister and 1 brother were given away to relatives as infants long before I was born. I was lucky or unlucky (I am not sure which) that I was not given away. We were very poor due to poor money management on my parents part and grew up quite hungry. My brother in the wheelchair is 11 months older than I am and we are extremely close. During lunch in grade school we would hide on the playground in the bushes so no one would know we did not have a lunch. It was so exciting to be invited to a girlfriends house to spend the night knowing I would have a meal.

My parents did not drink, gamble etc they just only thought of themselves such as going out to eat without us and nothing to eat in the house. They did not fight or argue they just did not pay any attention to us being around. There was always cigarettes, coffee, cream and sugar in the house. I don't know how we all didn't grow up to be robbers or murder's ! None of us ever had a birthday cake or school supplies. We moved every few months, usually in the middle of the night and I never went a whole school year at the same school. No grandparents or other relatives were in our lives as we were the black sheep. I could go on and on with stories but won't.

I am not bitter about it as I feel it made me a better stronger wife and mother to our children. I can surely say our kids were never ever hungry and got lots of attention. And....most important....they were told they were loved every day !

It is a beautiful thing to read your memories and know you received the love, teaching and caring that all children should have.

I have fallen apart on my feeding goals while at my brothers house. Just using the 2Cal and lots of water thru the tube. Christine would be proud of my water intake. There is nothing much to do while here so I hit the kitchen counter stockpile of cans of nutrition and jugs of water often.

I am SO glad that physical therapy is helping you ! The painfulness while doing it seems to be paying off with increased mobility and just the mental knowledge that you are doing something for yourself is so important. Just stay away from that pneumonia !

Gathering recipes here for Thanksgiving and looking forward to baking and cooking. Not the crowd that comes but I will get through that part too. My favorite part of it all is handing out containers and containers of leftovers for them to take home. I laugh as I type this as I realize I can't stand to have space in my pantry, freezer, or refrigerator and want everyone else's to be packed too ! Guess I am a food hoarder even though I can't eat. Funny how your past is always kinda there.

I must get busy with finding a proper dentist. I have looked and looked on line trying to find one who is knowledgeable with post radiation issues. Looks as though we might have to travel a ways to find someone with this expertise. I like my dentist but he is just a dentist.

Hope you are having a good week !



Sept 2002 Rt breast cancer no chemo or radiation.
March 2015 Rt tonsil cancer - walnut size lump rt side neck.
March 2015 Scan, biopsy confirm
March 2015 Port, G tube placed, 10 teeth removed.
July 2015 completed 5 chemo/35 radiations
Sept 2015 Cat Scan all clear
July 2016 G tube, port still in place
Ive had Thyroid "graves disease" and Lupus for many years.
4 kidney stone surgeries past 3 mo with over 100 stones still there !

*** Update... Jo passed away 12/20/17 ... RIP Jo ***

Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 111
Senior Member (100+ posts)
OP Offline
Senior Member (100+ posts)

Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 111
Jo-

Good to hear from you. (And really happy you are able to help care for your brother.)

Actually, my grandmothers life was very similar to yours. Both of her parents died when she was very young and was handed over to an aunt that did not want her. My grandfather was the eighth or ninth child to a farmstead family and was born and raised to work on their farm. Neither of my grandparents, (paternal side), had anything past a sixth grade education. They had a rough life together but remained committed to each other throughout. Raised 4 sons and proudly described themselves as solid stock country folk. I've tried to instill some of those same basic skills I was taught to my son and daughter.

I think about their, and your, experiences and how strength of character is developed from facing adversity. I feel that a person has to experience some adversity to truly enjoy the successes in life.

Keep up the water intake! But you need to push yourself on additional calorie intake. Very Important!

The PT has taken an interesting turn. All positive. They have been working down my neck and into my traps and upper back. The soft tissue response has been great. I'm getting slightly more left to right motion and the pain has lessened somewhat. The joint and muscles associated with my limited jaw movement has started to loosen as well. Each week I have the ability to open my mouth a little wider. With the improved opening, I'm able to speak with more clarity.

Have fun with Thanksgiving! I'm taking a grin and bear it attitude and although I'm looking forward to seeing my extended family, I think I'm going to limit my time to a few hours and leave when everyone starts to nap in front of the TV during the football games.






1997 SCC Tumor on tongue - Partial Gloss
1997 Met to Lymph
Radical Neck Dissection / 2nd Partial Gloss
6 weeks chemo and radiation
Brachytherapy
2011 Stroke
2014 Recurrence SCC at Base of Tongue / Hemi-gloss
Free Flap reconstr from thigh
PEG Tube
Radiation
Permanent Issues with speech and swallowing
2018 - Bleeding throat / mouth
2019 - Bleeding throat / mouth
2019 - 3rd diag Cancer SCC Base of mouth / jawbone
2019 - Aug remove portion of jaw / right pec det / free flap closure and tongue

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