| Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 | If it wasn't for this forum i think thats a mistake a lot of us would make pat.The month post tx is undoubtedly the worst.
you will get through this .
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.
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Please understand that for the vast majority of us, the 3 to 4 weeks POST Tx are by far the worst, then one day he will wake up and just know something is different and that he feels just a tad better than the last day and that's what I call finally walking out of that tunnel he's been in for so long. Also remember that even after that he will experience bad days and then some good days but slowly the good days will outnumber the bad days until the bad days finally go away for good.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 155 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 155 | It really took a long a time for Bob to get used to his new normal and "lighten up" even after he was physically in good shape. I kept expecting this "I have to embrace life and smell the roses " attitude since he had fought so hard and was cancer free. It was more than a year after treatment before he shook the post treatment blues, they were not severe and did not require medication but subtley he was definitely a little down. I was at first very confused by this until I read of so many others having the same experience here. It helped me be patient but it truly was a little frustrating to say the least.
Caregiver Husband Bob SCC tongue t2nomo Partial Glosectomy/neck disection 6/04 rad ending 9/23/04 Osteoradio-necrosis of the Mandible (ONJ) DX 6/09 Surgery 7/2/09 mandible resection/ several teeth extracted/ neck dissection NO FLAP and aggressive antibiotic therapy.
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | It's hard to imagine what one feels like experiencing cancer but I know even what used to be a simple sore throat post Tx brought on horrible recurrence thoughts. Anything that felt different in my throat brought back the fears of cancer but as they say, time heals.... so now when I have a sore throat I just think it's a cold (well mostly, lol).
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | |
Forums23 Topics18,168 Posts196,925 Members13,103 | Most Online458 Jan 16th, 2020 | | | |