| | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 253 Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP  Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 253 | Hi Friends:
This is just a small thing, but I need to share it. My family has been wonderful, but I think they feel that since treatment is finished, it's time to move on.
I saw my ENT today, and got a great report. The reason this is so important to me is that my throat has not be scoped since January when I was first diagnosed. The onocologist's exams have been to just feel around your tongue with their finger. It hasn't done a lot for my confidence. With a light illuminating my throt, the ENT said everything looks pink and healthy, just some swelling due to the edema(?)caused by the chemo/radiation.
I've had some trouble keeping my confidence up since the end of treatment. It seems so long until the PET/CT scan, but now I feel invigorated. I've bit my tongue many times wanting to tell the rad and chemo doctors that they should invest in a light/camera for your throat, especially since the incidence of head and neck cancers are increasing.
Thanks for listening. Sorry for any spelling errors.
Sandy
Sandy 56, BOT SCC Biopsy 1/21/09 Stage 3, T3NXM0.
Finished 3 cycle induction chemotherapy 4/7/09. (Chisplatin, 5-fu and Texotere). Re-staged 4/20/09,(very successful.) Will start Carboplatin/radiation 2 Gy/5 days/7 weeks (Tomotherapy) starting May 4th. Finished 6/22/09.
OCF member/supporter
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 | What wonderful news. Yes, families to tend to "drift off" while the concern remains front and center for us. This IS the place to share those feelings - we know what you mean! I wish you many many more clean scans and tests. Now go out and ENJOY today  Donna
Donna,69, SCC L Tongue T2N1MO Stg IV 4/04 w/partial gloss;32 radtx; T2N2M0 Stg IV; R tongue-2nd partial gloss w/graft 10/07; 30 radtx/2 cispl 2/08. 3rd Oral Cancer surgery 1/22 - Stage 1. 2022 surgery eliminated swallowing and bottom left jaw. Now a “Tubie for Life”.no food envy - Thank God! Surviving isn't easy!!!! .Proudly Canadian - YES, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS WONDERFUL! (Not perfect but definitely WONDERFUL)
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 238 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 238 | Congratulations on your good news - that's wonderful!!!
CG/Mom: 5 1/2 years SCC upper palate,4 recurrences, surgeries, chemo & radiation. Mom went to Heaven 1/21/11.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 51 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 51 | Congrats Sandy! Pink and healthy is a good thing!
Caregiver for Husband, Dana, age 52
DX 11/08, SCC right tonsil, Stage 3
RND, right tonsilectomy, Peg tube installed 12/08
Cisplatin X3, IMRT X35, last TX 3/09
CT scan 5/09 clear
PEG removed 8/27/09
1st PET scan clear 9/10/09
Minor surgery to repair PEG site 9/17/09
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 148 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 148 | Right - enjoy - what you describe is par for the course regarding follow up visits!
Bill . . . SCC - originated in right tonsil, drifted into neck ( 28 lymph nodes removed - one positive ). Radical neck dissection in September 07, completed 34 radiation tx on January 4, 2008. Used Peg. Non smoker, 61, good shape, no previous health issues. Second year PET scan - "all clear".
| | | | | 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 |
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: Jan 2009 Posts: 71 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 71 | That's great news! My guess is you're probably starting to feel better and getting around now starting to eat more. I've noticed a lot of positive changes in the way food tastes lately and i'm about 5 months ahead of you with similar treatments.
As for the family, I would learn so much during the day about my cancer while my wife was at work and i was surfing the net every night i would wait until she asked, "how are you feeling today?" Then i would give her a 10 or 15 minute update.
It's a lot of stress on family too. They try to hide it from us as best they can.
57 @ Dx, Stg IV BOT (1.5cm), lymph nodes (lrgst 2.5cm), non-smoker, casual drinker and exercise nut, Cisplatin x 2, Erbetux w/IMRT x 35/70Gy, PEG, Treated in San Antonio @ CTRC 12/16/08-1/27/09.
3/5/09-CT
6/12/09-PET, PEG out
12/1/09-CT
12/6/10-PET
12-8/11-CT
1-4/13-CT
(all clean)
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 583 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 583 | SandySt... Great news and getting that first report from scan is wonderful..Happy for you.
Take care. Diane
2004 SCC R.tip 1/4 tongue Oct. 2005 R. Neck SCC cancer/Chemo Cisplatin 2x/8wks. Rad. Removed Jugular vein, Lymph gland & some neck muscle. TX finished 1/20/06... B.Cancer 3/29/07 Finished 6/07 Bi-op 7/15/09 SCC in-situ, laser surgery removed from 1st. sight. Right jaw replacement 11/3/14. 9 yrs cancer free as of Jan. 2015
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 126 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 126 | Hi,
What great news to celebrate. I remember when Richard had his scans and everything came back clear, it was such a relief. The fact that everything looks good at this point after treatment is very encouraging for you... Geri
Geri-CG to husband Richard, 62 yrs old. Former smoker, quit 30yrs ago, light drinker. Dx after tests with BOT T1N1M0. Tx to start by end of Dec. Seven wks IMRT with 2x Cisplatin-2x Erbitux. Peg in 12/08- removed 4/21/09. Looking good so far. Clear Pet &MRI 8/2/09
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 718 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 718 |
Margaret
----------
C/G: Husband, 48 (at time of dx)
Dx 5/18/07 SCC, BOT, lymph node involvement. T1N2BM0. (Stage 4a, G2/3)
Tx 6/18 - 8/3/07, IMRT x 33 Cisplatin x3 (stopped after 1st dose due to hearing issues). Weekly Erbitux started 6/27/07 completed 8/6/07.
| | |
| Forums23 Topics18,253 Posts197,151 Members13,338 | | Most Online1,788
Jan 23rd, 2025 | | |
|
