HI EVERYONE MY NAME IS TYRA. FIRST OFF I WOULD LIKE TO SAY CONGRATS TO THOSE WHO HAVE SURVIVED THIS HORRIBLE DISEASE. MY FATHER IN LAW NOTICED THAT HE HAD A SPOT UNDER HIS TONGUE IN FEBUARY, BUT WAS TO AFRAID TO GO TO THE DOCTOR. FAST FORWARD TO THIS MONTH HE FINALLY GOES TO THE DOCTOR AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ORAL CANCER. SINCE THEN WHICH WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH HE HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED FOR PNEUMONIA. HE NOW HAS BRONCHITIS. HE IS UNABLE TO EAT, AND WHEN HE DOES HE VOMITS IT UP. HE HAS HAD TREMENDEOUS BACK PAIN AND CANNOT WALK WHICH STARTED RECENTLY, HIS BP DROPPED TODAY TO 70/45 WHICH ALARMED US TO THE POINT THAT WE SAID GET TO THE ER IMMEDIATLY. HIS PCP HAS NOT GIVEN HIM A REFERAL YET BUT HE DOES HAVE AN APPOINMTMENT NEXT WEEK AT A CANCER CENTER. I AM AFRIAD THAT IT IS TOO LATE FOR HIM. WITH ALL THE SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS HE IS HAVING IT FEELS LIKE IT IS JUST TO SOON TO BE HAVING THEM. HE IS AT THE ER RIGHT NOW AND I TOLD HIM TO DEMAND A PET SCAN. I FEEL THE DOCS ARE DRAGGING THEIR FEET ON THIS AND NOT DOING THE TESTS THEY SHOULD BE. HE HAS ALSO HAD SKIN CANCER FOR THE LST 6 YEARS. CONSTANTLY GETTING PATCHES REMOVED. HE HAS LOST CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF WEIGHT IN THE LAST MONTH ATLEAST 20 LBS. I AM VENTING AND VERY FRUSTRATED MAYBE I AM JUST LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TELL ME THAT THESE SYMPTOMS ARE NORMAL FOR EARLY STAGES, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THEY ARE. ANY ADVICE WOULD BE WELCOMED.

Tyra

You have come to the right place for information. But take a breath...it is all overwhelming and alot of information. I don't know what "Normal" is anymore and I think every case is different. But having those test run is a GOOD idea. I am battleing bronchitis as well and not because of cancer ..just because ( probably because of compromise immune system). With him already having the skin cancer and now the Scc >( I AM NO DR ) it may be fair to say that his immune system is a little low as well. He needs to see a DR . AN ENT one that deals with the SCC.

If possible he should go to a Comprehensive Cancer Center as all they deal with is cancer. I know it is all so scary and overwhelming , but one thing at a time and 1st things 1st is to get him to a dr that deals with this kind of cancer so that they can get him into the kind of treatment plan he needs.

We are all here for you to answer any questions you may have, listen to you vent whatever you may need , you will have an amazing amount of support here and meet some truley amazing people.


Shar

Tyra,

Sharlee gave you some good advice. You need to get him into the right doctors hands, his treatment will only be as good as the medical people treating him.

Also, when you post next can you please take off the capitals lock? When you type in all capital letters it's tough to read and it appears as if you're hollering!!

Take care,
Minnie

Hi Tyra,

Hi Tyra,

Hi Tyra,

Tyra,
Sorry I'm not very good at posting so I added the reply (above) without writing a message. As Minnea and Sharlee have said it is very difficult to know what, if any, of his symptoms are related to the oral cancer diagnosis until proper investigtions have been done. Is he scheduled to have a biopsy? CT scan? PET scan? Chest x-ray etc? All of these things were done very early for me via my ENT Surgeon. I know that the health system in Australia is quite different to the USA, but from reading others' posts it would appear that a CCC would arrange all the appropriate investigations for him. You didn't mention the age of your father in law. It may be that he has other unrelated health issues that are causing the symptoms and problems you mentioned. Good luck and please let us know how he gets on.

Best Wishes

Sue