| | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) |  Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Angelia
The race always seems the hardest at the end. Doctors use cliches like running the marathon to describe TX even when most of them have never done one. I did three marathons and yes, cancer TX is very similar - it's those last five miles that hurt the most. You literally "hit the wall" as your body's stores give out around mile 21 but you still finish. You can and will do this - just like that little engine David quoted.
Charm
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: 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 | I beg to differ.....for me taking a shower towards the end of Tx was like running a marathon. Going thru this barbaric Tx was like climbing up Mt Everest alone, backward, blindfolded, naked and without ropes or Oxygen in the dead of Winter. It was by far the hardest mental and physical thing I have ever done and I didn't have any surgery like many of you had.
Just trying to cheer you up Angelia....
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 2008 Posts: 238 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 238 | Hi Angelina, You're so close to the end now that you KNOW you can make it to the finish line.. You know you can, you know you can. Come on !!!!!!!!! We're all behind you.
CG/Mom: 5 1/2 years SCC upper palate,4 recurrences, surgeries, chemo & radiation. Mom went to Heaven 1/21/11.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | David Great imagination, but I take it from that post that you have never run a marathon.  Angelia C;mon, you are so close to making it. A year from now, you will be amazed at how much better you feel and how quickly what seems like interminable pain and suffering has faded. All of us have done it, and we are cheering you onto the finish line.---Or to the top of Mt. Everest as I do appreciate David's flair for the mellow-dramatic, and his description does capture the emotional & physical toll of Cancer TX quite well. Charm
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: Aug 2005 Posts: 307 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 307 | Hang in there Angelia, you can do this! One day at a time....
Hugs,
Shelley
Caregiver to husband Ron. Throat Cancer. Finished 35 radiation treatments on 11/21/04. 8/2/11 small lesion on lower gum, laser Procedure to remove. 3/6/12 Doc. removed another lesion on outside of his neck. Did a skin graft from his chest to replace the skin on his neck. Went to Heaven on 6/24/12.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 701 Likes: 1 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 701 Likes: 1 | Hi, Angelia,
You are so close to completing your RAD TX. Dig deep and keep on going. Every day puts you nearer the finish line. We're all cheering for you! Go, Angelia, go!
Anita
Anita (68)
CG to husband, Clark, 79,
DX SCC 11/07, T4N0Mx, PEG 1/08, RAD, post rad infection 3/08,
HBOT 40 dives, ORN, Surg 11/09 mandibulectomy w/fibular graft.
Plastic Surg 4/10, 12/10, 3/11, 10/11, 4/12, 10/12. All PETS clear,
PEG out 1/11. 6/11 non union jaw fracture
Fractured jaw w/surgery 7/14
Aspiration pneumonia 7/21, 10/22
PEG 7/21
Botox injections
| | | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | OP Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 | I only have 7 more treatments, and now we have another kink in me getting to go home. Last night the nurses came in to chek my bp while i was a sleep, and it was a whoppinh 151/101 and a few hours later it was still up there. I was asleep for crying out loud. It should not be that high while you asleep.
Last edited by walknlite; 01-22-2010 05:10 AM. Reason: typo
Angelia
31 at Dx.
DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,
T1NOMO, T2N1M0
TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09
PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement
PEG/PORT: 11/09
TX end: 02/01/10
PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear
PEG Out: 06/21/10
Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis
HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN
Baby girl born 11-30-12
| | | | | 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 | Angelia,
Good news is that when you are finished you will be our resident expert on EVERYTHING that can go wrong during Tx!! I can just see it now when we say "that didn't happen to me but ask Angelia".
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: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 | On the marathon metaphor, you are nearing the tunnel in to the stadium and can hear the cheers of the crowd. I am so glad you are so close to the finish line. Go Angelia Go!
David R. 65 yr old male non-smoker, light drinker, stage 3 or 4, depending on which doc you ask, scc rt. tonsil, 2 nodes, 7 weeks radiation and chemo. No surgery. Teatment ended 3/20/08. PET scan 8/08 showed no cancer.
And now, as of oct, 2010, caregiver to wife, Linda, with breast cancer.
May, 2013, Linda diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Enuf already.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | Mine gets that high and maybe just a little higher. It comes down after a xanax and deep breathing. I have to watch that aneurysm doesn't blow from high pressure. You can do it Angelia because you are a fighter and have reasons to. Just think about the smile on the kids and your Hubbys face and you are going to win the gold from the Marathon Charm spoke of.
Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
| | |
| Forums23 Topics18,267 Posts197,182 Members13,365 | | Most Online1,788
Jan 23rd, 2025 | | |
|
