 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,128 | One way to get their attention would be to say "I hit all the risk factors; I smoked, drank and had sex!" and give them a little guilt feedback to chew on!
The technique I developed to personally evaluate how my life is going is to occasionally put on the mental brakes, step back and examine what I am currently worried about (I'm *always* worried about something!) -- If it's not serious on the great scale of things, then I conclude that things are going well! If it is serious, then my concerns are justified.
Clearly, the great scale of things has been altered by putting cancer stuf on it! But I'd been watching one well-biopsied spot on my tongue for 15 years before an actual tumor started growing.
Of course, one thing that helps considerably is knowing what can be done and what can't and this forum has certainly been a Godsend in that regard!!
Age 67 1/2
Ventral Tongue SCC T2N0M0G1 10/05
Anterior Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 6/08
Base of Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 12/08
Three partial glossectomy (10/05,11/05,6/08), PEG, 37 XRT 66.6 Gy 1/06
Neck dissection, trach, PEG & forearm free flap (6/08)
Total glossectomy, trach, PEG & thigh free flap (12/08)
On August 21, 2010 at 9:20 am, Pete went off to play with the ratties in the sky.
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