| Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | OP "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 | So here I am stressing about tuesday's PET scan. Why would I be concerned when I know for sure that it will be clear, just as the last 3 have been? Only one explanation, I'm a worry wart. I never used to consider myself a worry wart. I always figured "whatever comes along, I'll deal with it then". But now, I've had a sore throat for the past few weeks which is no doubt due to the fact that alergy season is here (the almond orchards are in bloom, pretty to look at but miserable for allergies) And Dr. Yuh, my RO did a scope last week and said my throat looks fine, but still, there's that nagging thought.. Also there's been a sore spot on the side of my tongue the past few days that is no doubt due to rubbing against the rather rough molar filling on that side but still, I'm worried about that. I'm two years past treatments now with hopefully SOME years yet to come but a guy can drive himself crazy worrying about every little thing wrong. Guess I'd better get used to being a worry wart.
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: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 | You are not alone. I am a worry wart as well. I have been told that the farther out you get the better. I just can not get farther out. Can I join your club? I know your PET scan will come back clear.
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: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 | Worrying is part of the game. Unfortunately, it never goes away. We all do it.
I would suggest getting that filling polished. Even in retirement, you can't take the dentist out of me.
Good luck witht the PET..
Jerry
Retired Dentist, 59 years old at diagnosis. SCC of the left lateral border of the tongue (Stage I). Partial glossectomy and 30 nodes removed, 4/6/05. Nodes all clear. No chemo no radiation 18 year survivor.
"Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger"
| | | | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 790 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 790 | I know-- everytime I got hte flu or felt a sore throat coming on right out of treatment I would freak out too. I still do sometiems but now I knwo that the likelyhood of anything happening is less and less with each year that goes by.
Will be thinking of you and praying that you get the all clear!
K
Tongue Cancer T2 N0 M0 / Total Glossectomy Due to Location of Tumor
Finished all treatments May 25 2007 Surviving!!!
| | | | Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 396 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 396 | hi, im teresa and im a worry wart...this IS the worry wart club thread right?!
Teresa ----------- CG to ANDY. Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) T2N2cMxG4 stage 4. 43 @ dx 8/31/09 tx 9/21/09-11/06/09 cispatin/docetaxel/5-FU X3 PORT 9/9/09, PEG 12/07/09 35 IMRT-1/wk carbo 11/30/09-2/3/10 tx stopped due to complications IMRT BOOST 3/08-3/12/10 PET 4/12/10 CLEAR! PEG out 4/14/10
| | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 147 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 147 | And there is no 12 step program that is successsful for us worryaholics.
DX 2/10/09; Stage 1 SCC side of tongue; Partial Gloss; PEG in 3/3/09; 3 Cisplatin; 35 IMRT; PEG out 7/17/09; Eating via mouth and walking 3 miles/day 4 wks after treatment end. 50 pound weight loss; Clear PET 09/09 and 09/10 | | | | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | Yes there is. You go bury your head in the sand.
There is no use worrying. It won't make anything bad better and it very well can have a negative impact on other aspects of your life. Let your doctors do the worrying for you. You see them often enough that if something bad is going on, it will most likely be caught early. If they miss something, you will most likely catch it yourself. As long as you are not indulging in behavior that it likely to cause a reoccurence, you are not helping yourselves by worrying. Here's hoping it is not cancer, but until you are told it is, try not to stress out too much.
Take care, Eileen
---------------------- Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
| | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | OP "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 | As I posted on Facebook, the scan was clear. What I didn't say (because some of my co workers are FB friends and I don't want any rumors at work) is that it also says there is some activity in the nodes of the right neck (where I had cancer before). Now what the heck does that mean. There are cells that are more active than other cells I guess. Isn't that what cancer does. Well the people who read these things think it's nothing to worry about so I guess I just go with that. I just wish they wouldn't throw in such cryptic info. I see my new oncologist (He took over Dr. Keech's practice) in 2 weeks. Just add this to the list of questions with which to bombard him.
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.
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