| Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) | OP "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 | Charm I love it lol. Yes Jeanna I agree it's bad memories but also a very significant point in our life that we will never forget. I think sometimes it would be nice to show it to my young neices and nephews who are still smoking and see if they can just imagine being attached to a table via that. Or donate it to the cancer council for their no smoking campaigns. But either way it will be up to Steve to work out what to do with it. It's his and his memories. He's a pretty creative guy and doesn't hold a major grudge against his mask so who knows what we will end up with. I love the ideas on here though. You guys sure know how to make me laugh and for that I am truly grateful.
Wife to Steve 43. DX 5 May 09. T4N2MO SCC tongue, floor of mouth, lymph nodes & jaw bone No surgery Teeth removed 06/07/2009 radiation 13/07/2009 x 7wks chemo 15/07/2009 x 3 Cisplatin last TX 28/08/2009 25/11/2009 PET-lymph node activity. 08/01/2010 CT Scan-ALL CLEAR 03/03/2010-Peg removed 01/2013 left side of Jaw removed and replaced with pectoral flap. 23/12/2020 scan show lesion in tongue 01/2021 SCC stage 3 base of tongue diagnosed 01/03/2021 chemotherapy started.
| | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 14 Member | Member Joined: May 2009 Posts: 14 | My husband is the Director of Health in our town and he will be talking to school children as part of the smoking cessation outreach program. He will be bringing the mask with him...
Any additional ideas on what to include in his presentation would be appreciated-- does anyone want to share their own personal story that he can include? Although he doesn't access this forum, I share all of your insight with him and it has been a great help to both of us!!
Thanks!
Carol
Spouse Husband age 55 SCC BOT and 3 nodes HPV 16+ Diagnosed 2/13/09 Stage 4 T2N3M0 Neck Dissection 2/13/09, 6 chemo cysplatin/taxol, 35 rad TX completed 5/8/09, PEG removed 6/26/09, PET Scan 8/3, 2/3 Clear!
| | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 71 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | Supporting Member (50+ posts) Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 71 | It would be an excellent template for a perfectly tailored paper mache mardi-gra mask.
Or, trim it up and paint it day glow orange and use it as a sconce/night light cover for a over a small flourecent black light.
Ha! Mine is still sitting on top of the armoir that houses my stereo equipment and only comes down if someone notices it or my wife says, "show them the mask."
As far as some people not wanting it, i remember when they were molding it to my face asking them if i could take it home when i was finished. I also remember the other patients in the waiting room at CTRC congratulating me as i carried it out. Since i had my last chemo that morning, it was like my OC treatment diploma. I don't know what i'm going to do with it, but i'm not going to throw it away.
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: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) | OP "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 | I agree Ray. I look at it, not with bad memories but as something that has helped us to fight this disease. Without it where would we be. But then again it's not mine although in some sense it has a very strong effect on my life as well. I suppose everyone's different and that's their right but I don't hate it.
Wife to Steve 43. DX 5 May 09. T4N2MO SCC tongue, floor of mouth, lymph nodes & jaw bone No surgery Teeth removed 06/07/2009 radiation 13/07/2009 x 7wks chemo 15/07/2009 x 3 Cisplatin last TX 28/08/2009 25/11/2009 PET-lymph node activity. 08/01/2010 CT Scan-ALL CLEAR 03/03/2010-Peg removed 01/2013 left side of Jaw removed and replaced with pectoral flap. 23/12/2020 scan show lesion in tongue 01/2021 SCC stage 3 base of tongue diagnosed 01/03/2021 chemotherapy started.
| | | | 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 | He might want to talk to them about the Gardasil vaccination.
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: Aug 2006 Posts: 294 Gold Member (200+ posts) | Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 294 | Wendy,
You know, Halloween is not far away and it would make a great mask for the occasion!
Bill D.
Dx 4/27/06, SCC, BOT, Stage III/IV, Tx 5/25/06 through 7/12/06 - 33 IMRT and 4 chemo, radical right side neck dissection 9/20/06.
| | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 1 Member | Member Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 1 | Mine sat in my garage where I could see it everyday as I parked the car...Wife hated it...kids loved it....couldnt decide...finally it hit me! Target Practice!!!! Make god use of it and still remember what brought me here!
Diagnosed 6/24/08 SCC of Unknow Origin. 1 positive Lymph node removed 6/24/08. Tonselectomy 7/7/08. 33 Sessions of RX beginning 8/13. 3 Sessions of Cisplatin @ 21 day Intervals. PEG installed 8/6/08, remove 12/1/08
| | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | FYI: A local artist (who went to Fairfax Inova for radiation where I believe our own SandySt went also) rounded up 109 radiation masks and had 109 artists decorate and transform them for an auction that raised money for head & neck cancer patients. (the article does not mention why the "lion mask" went for $2,700 but the slide show hints at it: this is a toney political area of Washington DC and the actual title of the mask was :"Homage to Ted Kennedy" )Click on the link to read the article and see these transformations in the photo gallery (the third one has a Latin title which translates to "conquer, overcome, master, win, surpass, excel.". SIMPLY AMAZING. (warning: the Post runs an advertisement first before showing you the story - and another one before letting you see the pictures - just 7 seconds but seem longer) Radiant Radiation Mask Art charm
Last edited by Charm2017; 10-13-2009 06:57 AM. Reason: ad warning
65 yr Old Frack Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+ 2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG 2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery 25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin Apaghia /G button 2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa 40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 132 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: May 2009 Posts: 132 | I'm planning to put mine atop a scarecrow-body to sit in my front yard for Halloween. Or maybe not -- I might scare away all the cute little trick-or-treaters!
Chrissy
Stage 2 SCC upper right palate Hemi-palatectomy and maxillectomy 5/28/09 Six teeth gone IMRT x30 starts July 13. Completed 8/26/09 Carboplatin and Taxol x6 starting 7/14/09. Completed 8/25/09.
| | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 114 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: May 2009 Posts: 114 | Paintball anyone? 
Age 52, T2 N0 M0 SCC of left anterior floor of mouth. Esophagoscopy, Direct laryngoscopy, Resection of left anterior FOM lesion w/ lateral tongue. left selective neck dissection levels I-IV. 5x6cm skin graft coverng excision. Finished 33-35 rad Tx. False recurrence 12-22-10 last surgery 2-15-10
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