 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 |
Leonard:
Welcome to OCF. Glad you found this site, it will help you with your father. Do you know where your father's cancer is located? There are many kinds of oral cancer, it could be on his tongue, inside his cheek, in his throat or other places for it to be oral cancer.
To help ease his mouth pain ask either the ENT or family doctor for a prescription with refills for magic mouthwash. There are several variations of it, mine was benadryl, lidocaine, and malox. He would swish this around in his mouth for about 20 seconds and then spit it out before eating. It will help numb his mouth so he can eat better. If he is uncomfortable, he may also need some type of prescription pain meds.
Its pretty difficult for a doc to tell you the cancer has been there 3-6 months. I had what I thought was a canker sore on the inside of my cheek for at least 4 months before I got it checked. My doc told me it could have been there under the surface for a long time before it became visible.
Fighting oral cancer can be a rough road. You will find tons of support here. There is tons of info on the main part of the web site too.
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  | 
