Thanks to all of the well-wishers. The scan went without a hitch and I see my ENT next Thursday. I hope to get a positive call from one of the nurses there at Emory as happens sometimes. It's when they don't call that always worries me! I figure that they won't give bad news over the phone and wait for the Doc to so advise.

Bill Dozier

Best of luck with the scan result Bill.
Hope you don't have to wait too long.
Gabriele

Hi all,
Sorry I haven't been posting for ages.
Martin is doing ok. He still has terrible pain in his neck and shoulder, but he has found out that half of the pain is due to a slipped disk in the neck that is pressing on his spinal cord. He will need another operation to fix that. It should be after Christmas. In the meantime he is being tried on some new painkiller. He has Fentanyl patches at the moment and they seem to help a bit.
Apart from that Martin is now 2 years in the clear.
Oh, another happy note we are having a baby in March, quite unexpected but we are really happy.

Congratulations on the upcoming bub Cecilia.
Even though Martin is still having issues 2 years cancer free is a great milestone.
Nice hearing from you again.
Gabriele

Sorry I haven't posted for a while. I still drop by every now and then but normally just lurk in the background. Somedays I try to offer advise to members on the forum but just can't seem to get the words right and sending a virtual hug just doesn't seem enough. But if ever needed I'm here.

On the plus side, Steve is still going well with no sign of the cancer. Still waiting for his jaw surgery though. Good old Australian public health system takes a while sometimes. Steve's weight is still a never ending battle but we'll get there.

Cecilia that is wonderful news for you and Martin. So happy for you both.

Well, I'm trying real hard to get back here more often.

I think my life started to go crazy when my wife decided that we should downsize and move since I was retired and she was retiring in June. Selling a house, packing it up, moving, unpacking (still doing that), have kept me so busy.

In additon to that we spent days on end visiting the hospital as two friends were in at the same time. My dental partner and best friend (for over 41 years) passed away in August after battling multiple myeloma for 8 1/2 years. Our other friend is doing well.

We managed to get away to China for 2 weeks in October and I have made a pact to try to visit the forum more regularly again.

Over the past 5 1/2 years I have only been away from the once before. It occured after a couple of members passed away and I started getting depressed.

I have always welcomed PM's and direct emails as many people over the years have felt more comfortable asking me dental questions, off the forum.

Well, I was away for awhile due to depression, and just life going crazy. I am back now and do check up regularly. I am still trying to figure out why I am having so much pain in my right arm, and my neck muscles are gettting stiffer by the day. Other than that we are plugging away.
ON a happt note, My SIL just had triplets, 17 weeks early, but they are doing well. Mom, dad, and big sister have gotten to hold their hands through the incubators. I have yet to get to go visit them, but will over thanksgiving break. My husband is going for a quick trip today.

For me it's a little bit depression but mostly I'm overwhelmed by the forums. I still can't figure out how to maneuver from one to another and when I go back to try to follow a particular subject, I can't find it again. Sometimes I can find it if I remember who posted recently and I can backtrack from their user list but that doesn't always work. I also get so caught up in so many subjects that hours pass and nothing gets done. Still, I appreciate all the info and advice so I won't give up completely.

Pat - to keep up with what is happening recently, I just go to the top of this page, and click on where it says "Active Topics" and then click the same "active topics" on the pull down menu.

It seems that every timer I think I am finished a new medical situation pops up to keep me off track. My "recreation" is outings to the grocery, Walgreen's pharmacy and medical appointments for myself and my husband. As one of my sisters says: "these are supposed to be our golden years but they are slightly tarnished." I am trying hard to get back to a normal life so no longer am able to spend the time here as I would like. When I miss a week or even a few days it seems that I am not able to catcth up so I start at the last page and try to read forward. I really miss having the time to check the forums regularly and reply as often as I used to.