| | Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 72 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 72 | My husband had major (over 11 hours) surgery on May 4, 2010 to remove and rebuild the left side of his jaw bone and the floor of his mouth using his fibula and skin and veins from the leg. He started 30 radiation treatments and 3 cisplatin treatments on June 15 and finished July 27. He can�t speak clearly and gets tired easily. He is a college professor and the department reassigned his classes knowing he would not be able to teach when the semester started August 16. We asked the radiation oncologist to approve sick time for the semester. He did not. The dates he approved for sick time were only until August 10, two weeks after treatments ended and a week before the semester began! We did not learn this until yesterday when the university human resources informed us that Tim was AWOL. The doctor has agreed to extend the sick time to September 10, since otherwise, my husband could get fired having not shown up the last two weeks � for classes that were never scheduled. The doctor has not seen my husband since July 13 � two weeks before treatment ended. We see him this Friday to get the results from the follow-up CT that was taken Monday. At this time, we can appeal his decision. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to convince the doctor that while my husband is super awesome, he is still human  .
Susan, CG to husband, diagnosed April 2010, age 56, non-smoker, no HPV
Mandibulectomy on left side May 2010 followed by 30 radiation, 3 cisplatin treatments.
| | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 | Are you talking about the doctor that treated your husband?? I can't believe an experienced H&N oncologist would need to be convinced of this! Holy cow.
- Margaret
Stage IV SCC lt lateral tongue, surgery 5/19/08 (partial gloss/upper neck dissection left side/radial free flap reconstruction) IMRT w/weekly Cisplatin & Erbitux 6/30/08, PEG 1 6/12/08 - out 7/14 (in abdominal wall, not stomach), PEG 2 7/23/08 - out 11/20/08, Tx done 8/18/08
Second SCC tumor, Stage 1, rt mobile tongue, removed 10/18/2016, right neck dissection 12/9/2016
Third SCC tumor, diagnosed, 4/19/2108, rt submandibular mass, HPV-, IMRT w/ weekly Cisplatin, 5/9 - 6/25/2018, PEG 3 5/31/2018
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 | That is unbelievable!! I wonder how much experience the RO has? Is there another doctor involved, like the ENT that could supply the information? When my son was in the worst of his recovery, he even needed help walking from the car to the house after treatments and had to communicate with sign language. His ENT wrote a letter and in no uncertain terms, stating that he was completely disabled and would be so for some time to come.
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)
| | | | | 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 | Suggest to his doc that he under go the same Tx so that he would be better able to advise future clients.
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 2010 Posts: 72 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 72 | I originally gave the paperwork to the surgeons who did the jaw removal and reconstruction. However, since they are out of town, they passed the paperwork to the RO. If he refuses to sign off on sick leave, I�ll go to the medical oncologist. My husband is a college professor, so he knows all about getting things done by committee!
The RO has the worst people skills of anyone I have ever met. I don�t think he dislikes patients, but he seems to care only about curing cancer. Patients are treated as generic cancer carriers and care givers as annoyances. At least he has a wonderful staff of oncology nurses and a smart, outgoing nurse practitioner who are all happy to answer questions. I really don�t care how he tells us, so long as the RO tells us tomorrow that Tim is cancer free.
Susan, CG to husband, diagnosed April 2010, age 56, non-smoker, no HPV
Mandibulectomy on left side May 2010 followed by 30 radiation, 3 cisplatin treatments.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | This type of operation followed by chemo and radiation takes alot longer than a couple weeks to recover from. What an arrogant doctor. Ive seen ones like that who were brilliant but lacked the people skills to effectively communicate with patients. Ive had this surgery and know that even 8 months after the operation I was in bad shape. Im now just past 1 year and doing ok but Im not able to work and recently retired at the age of 47. Since the office staff is so great, they should be able to do whatever you need as far as the paperwork is concerned. Then the doc just has to sign off on it. Become a nag to him and eventually he will give in and put what your husband needs on the forms. If I was in that situation, I would be calling twice a day til I got the paperwork done correctly. A squeaky wheel gets the oil
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | | | | Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 72 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 72 | Saw the RO today to get the results of the CAT. NO CANCER  Also had no problem getting the RO to extend the sick time to the end of the semester, once he actually spoke to Tim. They were very sorry about the HR problems and promised to take care of it. I'm still not sure why he refused earlier, except that one nurse mentioned that other types of radiation patients often can go back to work in 2 weeks. I guess I'm getting old, because I remember the days when doctors got to know you as a person. Christine, I'm sorry you're not well enough to work. I hope you keep improving. Thanks for the advice and encouragement.
Susan, CG to husband, diagnosed April 2010, age 56, non-smoker, no HPV
Mandibulectomy on left side May 2010 followed by 30 radiation, 3 cisplatin treatments.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 | Susan, jeesh... what an ordeal. But the bestest news is the CT result. Congrats to you both! I guess what the nurse told you is true if s/he says it is, but I have a hard time understanding how anyone could go through neck radiation and be ready to work again a couple of weeks later. Man! It took me a good 4 months, and that was to part time. I suppose it could be that RT to other parts of the body is less taxing, but I wouldn't presume even that.
Please keep us posted.
David 2
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 15 years all clear in 6/24 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
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