Dear All,
We have finally found out the reason for the severe neck pain that radiated into excruiating headaches. We saw the surgeon on the 6th and a CT scan showed that a large tumor was present at the same surgical site. (back of tongue down throat) We had noticed some swelling in the jaw area for the past 2 weeks but it has increased in size quite a bit in the last five days. We were treating the pain as a result of post-radiation and nerve pain due to lymph node removal, but we were wrong. Since we could not put in a nose feeding tube, it was decided by all to admit David into the hospital. We needed to get a PEG tube inserted (for nourishment) and get his severe pain under control. It's been 48 hours and the pain is still not completely gone. Morphine is not working. Two pain doctors have talked to him today and they are switching him to something stronger. If that doesn't work tonight, then they will try methodone???and if that doesn't work they will insert medicine through his spine.
The PEG was inserted yesterday and today he received A WHOLE CAN of 1.0 Nutren. (you have to wait 24 hours after a PEG insertion) Thank goodness that he is finally getting some food. If the nausea stays away, then they will increase the amount of cans and get some weight on him.
The tumor is already too large to remove and chemo will be given to attempt to shrink it down. Our Surgeon will contact our Oncologist on Monday to discuss and set up this next step.
In a way I am relieved that we are not going the surgery route. We will deal with that when we have to. In the meantime, I am grateful that we still have options. I am doing surprisingly well. I do fine if I don't look too far ahead, stay in the moment and take each day as it comes.
I hate to throw bad news into the forum. We remain optomistic and yet realistic of the battle ahead. This is David's fourth recurrence in one year. Each time he had clean margins. This disease has a habit of kicking you in the butt.
Chemo here we come! I will keep you posted.
Brenda (David' wife)
"Hope never waivers,
but holding the fear at bay
as it taps my shoulder
is an art form of repression."
Author Unknown. "Coping" Magazine
