| | Joined: Mar 2018 Posts: 72 Likes: 1 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2018 Posts: 72 Likes: 1 | I just finished my 33rd and last radiation treatment, and the last chemo was last Wednesday.
Wow, that was some adventure.
The new chapter begins, recovery!
I really really really appreciate all the inputs to my posts, they were really priceless. From those who survived, and from the caregivers, Bless you all.
This would have been so much harder without the wonderful and generous advice.
And all the best to the new members, and those still in treatment, you can do it, live one day at a time.
Enlarged left cervical lymph node in neck on 1/9/18. Male, age 60. Had retired from working as a computer technician and a project manager for almost 38 years, on 7/1/17.
Node was removed 1/16/18 and found to have SCC P16.
Chest xray clean.
Since then, PET/CT, slight activity left parotid, possible malignancy left lingual tonsil. MRI clean.
3 endoscopies, nothing seen.
2/26/18 Larryngoscopy,primary not found.
TORS 3/23/18 lingual tonsil biopsy.,biopsy negative.
Chemo/rads started 4/18/18.
| | | | | 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 | CONGRATS!!!! Let your healing begin  Im wishing you all the very best with your recovery. It is likely to be a few more weeks before you begin to slowly feel a little better. Recovery for most of us can never happen quickly enough. Rest and focus on controlling any pain you have and your daily intake. PS... This is a very significant post to me. This post marks my 10,000th post on this online patient support forum. Im happy to see my post # 10,000 is a post congratulating an OC patients successful completion of their radiation treatments. Best wishes to CM57 for a speedy recovery and to quick return to their usual routines.
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 2013 Posts: 346 Likes: 3 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2013 Posts: 346 Likes: 3 | Yay! Keep on keeping on! Keep us posted!
Surgery 5/31/13
Tongue lesion, right side
SCC, HPV+, poorly differentiated
T1N0 based on biopsy and scan
Selective neck dissection 8/27/13, clear nodes
12/2/13 follow-up with concerns
12/3/13 biopsy, surgery, cancer returned
1/8/14 Port installed
PEG installed
Chemo and rads
2/14/14 halfway through carboplatin/taxotere and rads
March '14, Tx done, port out w/ complications, PEG out in June
2017: probable trigeminal neuralgia
Fall 2017: HBOT
Jan 18: oral surgery
| | | | | 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 | Did you get to ring the bell? Patients in the chemo unit at our hospital could ring a bell when their last treatment ended. The patients in radiation don’t have that privilege. I have read, though, that in some hospitals, the bell is in the radiation department.
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: Jun 2013 Posts: 346 Likes: 3 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2013 Posts: 346 Likes: 3 | [quote=gmcraft]Did you get to ring the bell? Patients in the chemo unit at our hospital could ring a bell when their last treatment ended. The patients in radiation don’t have that privilege. I have read, though, that in some hospitals, the bell is in the radiation department.[/quote]
Interesting! Where I was treated, it was the other way around ... bell for the rads, but not the chemo. Although, considering how many were dozing through chemo, I guess that makes sense... I wondered if it was just a thing at that center or something everywhere.
Surgery 5/31/13
Tongue lesion, right side
SCC, HPV+, poorly differentiated
T1N0 based on biopsy and scan
Selective neck dissection 8/27/13, clear nodes
12/2/13 follow-up with concerns
12/3/13 biopsy, surgery, cancer returned
1/8/14 Port installed
PEG installed
Chemo and rads
2/14/14 halfway through carboplatin/taxotere and rads
March '14, Tx done, port out w/ complications, PEG out in June
2017: probable trigeminal neuralgia
Fall 2017: HBOT
Jan 18: oral surgery
| | | | | 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 think it goes back to one of the very early cancer centres, like Sloan Kettering. It’history is set out in “The Emperor of All Maladies.”
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 | I rang the bell once after radiation, and a few other places I didn’t. It was started at MD Anderson in Texas over twenty years ago. https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/conquest/spring-2011/radiation-bells.htmlCongratulations!
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: Mar 2018 Posts: 72 Likes: 1 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2018 Posts: 72 Likes: 1 | No bell at my Center, but I love the idea. I was always fascinated with bells, there is just something special when you hear the tone of a solid bell in person. Especially when it is something so meaningful.
I did get a Certificate Of Completion from the Radiation department, so that is my bell. Thanks for the congrats everyone.
Enlarged left cervical lymph node in neck on 1/9/18. Male, age 60. Had retired from working as a computer technician and a project manager for almost 38 years, on 7/1/17.
Node was removed 1/16/18 and found to have SCC P16.
Chest xray clean.
Since then, PET/CT, slight activity left parotid, possible malignancy left lingual tonsil. MRI clean.
3 endoscopies, nothing seen.
2/26/18 Larryngoscopy,primary not found.
TORS 3/23/18 lingual tonsil biopsy.,biopsy negative.
Chemo/rads started 4/18/18.
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