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Joined: Jul 2007
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Dear Lori,

I think you should do what feels right to you and Ron. I think its important to have certain experiences even if it means delaying a chemo treatment, I would do it. A close friend of mine had pancreatic cancer (surgery was not an option) and he had palliative chemo. He and his wife took some amazing trips as well as some that were just relaxing for them and for their family. His last trip (6 weeks before his death) was to spend a week at our beach house just with his wife, and his adult children and his brother's family. It was a magical and stress free week just to be with each other and it meant so much to everyone. From reading your posts, you and Ron have been vigilant about his treatment and have pursued every reasonable path so you should have no qualms about creating some positive times for yourselves away from the medical world.

Take care- Sophie


Sophie T.

CG to husband: SCC Stage 4, T4, N1, M0; non-smoker and very light social drinker; HPV+
induction chemo begun 7/07; chemo/radiation ended 10/10, first cat scan clear; scan on 5/9/08 clear, scan on 10/08 clear; scan 1/09 clear; scan 1/10 clear; passed away July 2, 2016
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"OCF across the pond"
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"OCF across the pond"
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,940
Patty should have taught us all one thing - live for the moment and never put of till tomorrow what you can do today

love liz


Liz in the UK

Husband Robin aged 44 years Dx 8th Dec 2006 poorly differentiated SCC tongue with met to neck T1N2cM0 Surgery and Radiation.Finished TX April 2007
Recurrence June/07 died July 29th/07.

Never take your eye off the ball, it may just smack you in the mouth.
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Lori,

Im so sorry you are going thru this. I want to share something that may help you.

I work for Verizon doing customer service. Yesterday, I spoke to a man who just came back from having cancer treatments in Mexico and out west someplace like Arizona or New Mexico. My call started by speaking to his wife about their bill as they had just returned. I told her how sorry I was to hear about her husbands illness. She probably thought I was full of crap like alot of customer service reps can be. I asked her if she would mind telling me what kind of cancer and to my surprise it was OC. She said her husband wouldnt talk to me cuz he was concerned about his speech, that I wouldnt be able to understand him.

After I told her I was also an oral cancer survivor and went thru it twice she put him on the phone. He was so happy and surprised to speak to someone else who has gone thru OC. We talked all about treatments and he told me how he does his chemo at home. I asked him a few questions since I remembered your post. He told me that his doctors have him do 2 bags of chemo, cisplatin at home. I would have loved to spend more time talking to him but probably would have gotten in trouble for not being work focused enough. I did manage to slip into the conversation the OCF website and hope they sign up. This was the first time I have ever spoken to an OC patient while I was at work.

Long story short....if this man can do it at home then it should be an option. Check with your doc. I hope its available for you. Enjoy your travels smile



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
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 96
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 96
Thank you all for your responses. I think we will be sticking fairly close to home for now, making sure we are here for chemo. Depending on Ron's progress though, we may just decide that missing one treatment is worth it. jrch26, sure wouldn't want to start all over somewhere at this point!
Lori


Lori, cg to H Ron, age 56.
Stage IV Oral SCC-T1N2. Tongue resected and right ND 8/05. Teeth removed, PORT, PEG, IMRT x33, Cisplatin x3. Tx ended 10/05.
Recurrence 7/08 Stage IV. Surgery 8/30/08.
2nd recur. 11/08. 2nd surgery 2/2/09.
3rd recur. 4/9/09. Erbitux wkly. 5/09-?
Ron died 6/6/09.
Lori also passed away 8/20/11, colon cancer
Joined: Mar 2009
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Posts: 48
Lori, that is for sure! Good luck with everything, keep smiling and cherish every moment!!


26
Mom 48 diagnosed Sep 08 Stage IV SCC
full glossectomy, neck dissection traech and peg Nov 08
35 radiation treatments and 3 chemo
Mar 09 mets to lungs
Started Erbitux 3/09/09
06/26/09 mets to rib
Stopped Erbitux 6/26/09
Start erbitux/taxol 7/06/09
Started Hospice 7/24/09
Passed away 8/09/09
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,152
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,152
Lori,
Why don't you just ask the chemo doctor if it is possible to get one treatment elsewhere if you wanted a longer trip. I vaguely remember Amy trying to arrange something like this so her husband could visit his parents in Michigan. I unfortunately do not remember whether she was successful in getting the treatment there or not. They did take the trip. You might try PMing her and asking. She rarely signs onto the board anymore. She did have a blog.

Take care,
Eileen


----------------------
Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III
mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad
Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND
June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer
June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
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