#12382 10-05-2007 09:10 AM | Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | OP  Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 | Hello everyone.....it's Minnie, me, not a daughter, not my mom....it's actually me! I just walked down the hall of Hopkins fantastic hospital halls to use the family computer room. Of course I have my usual entourage with me, lol. I am talking to you as the most blessed woman on this planet. When the doctors got into my mouth during the surgery, they found the tumor itself to be very small, in between a stage 1 and stage 2 but leaning more to a stage 1. They found that it had alot of scar tissue around it that was making it look bigger on the PET I had done a few weeks ago. They also found that it was very superficial, so I lost less than one third of my tongue and that was taken at an angle that leave me most of the front of my tongue. They took biopsies in eight other spots in my mouth, looking for field cancerization, and all came back negative. I had a graft rather than a free flap to my tongue, so it has a huge bolster holding it in my mouth right now and that's uncomfortable but I'm perfectly ok with that! The best news is that he did't find any evidence of any cancer in my neck, the node had dissapeared a few days ago, when my head cold left me, he looked at the PET, and he decided not to do a neck disection. No chemo, no radiation, he said he will watch me very closely for the next few months and, of course, for the rest of my life, but that he truly feels I will be ok. He is the top head and neck cancer specialist at Hopkins so I feel very good. Best of all........NO TRACH!!! I was so, so very happy about that. I'm having trouble with low blood pressure for the moment but I usually do so will wait it out. I'm hoping to go home tomorrow (can you all believe it!) and I will write again later tonight when they let me out of bed again.
So much love to all of you, thank you for supporting me and always listening to me.
Love,
Minnie
SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.
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#12383 10-05-2007 09:22 AM | Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 580 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 580 | Minnie,
Congrats, best news I've heard in awhile!!
I am so genuinely relieved and happy for you, your daughters and T-Dog. Wonderful news!!
I'm glad to see your upbeat spirit has returned.
You made my day.
I hope you heal quickly.
All my best thoughts and prayers are still for you.
Hugs,
Mike
Dentist since 1995, 12 year Cancer Survivor, Father, Husband, Thankful to so many who supported me on my journey so far, and more than happy to comfort a friend.
Live, Laugh, Love & Learn.
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#12384 10-05-2007 09:30 AM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 | WOW...WOW...WOW...
Fantastic news, I nearly burnt my house down with the candles :rolleyes:
I am sure the whole family is so ecstatic..
Virtual champagne being shared..
Thank God you never the surgery first suggested, that scenario doesn't bear thinking about.
Sunshine.. love and hugs
Helen
SCC Base of tongue, (TISN0M0) laser surgery, 10/01 and 05/03 no clear margins. Radial free flap graft to tonsil pillar, partial glossectomy, left neck dissection 08/04
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#12385 10-05-2007 10:32 AM | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 | thank god minnie
love and hugs
liz
Liz in the UK
Husband Robin aged 44 years Dx 8th Dec 2006 poorly differentiated SCC tongue with met to neck T1N2cM0 Surgery and Radiation.Finished TX April 2007
Recurrence June/07 died July 29th/07.
Never take your eye off the ball, it may just smack you in the mouth.
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#12386 10-05-2007 10:50 AM | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 528 "OCF Down Under" "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "OCF Down Under" "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 528 | Dear Minnie
This news has made my day! Well done.
love from Helen
RHTonsil SCC Stage IV tx completed May 03
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#12387 10-05-2007 11:31 AM | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 510 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 510 | ...looks like all our prayers helped! God bless you, Minnie!
CG to 77 y/o hubby;SCC Alveolar Ridge; Wake Forest Baptist Hosp surgery: 07/19/07; bi mod radical resection/jaw replacement;
T2 N2-B M0 Stage IV-A
28 IMRT +
6 Paclitaxel/Carboplatin
Getting stronger every day!
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#12388 10-05-2007 11:36 AM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 | What great news to come home to. I had been waiting for news, checking my email hourly and read the carepage and was so thrilled with what it said there. Now to hear from you directly and so soon after surgery, is just so wonderful.
I don't think you could have hoped for a better outcome and the surgery was so minimal compared to you first option.
You can now happily add to your signature your latest conquest.
Feel good.
Jerry
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"
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#12389 10-05-2007 11:37 AM | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 231 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 231 | Awesome news!!!
Always glad to hear positive stories here.
God Bless You Minnie
Dx Mar 07 with Base Of Tongue Stage IV. IMRT 35x with 3 doses Cysplatin ran concurrent. Tx ended May 31,07. Left and right node involved. Radical neck disection 7/18/07
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#12390 10-05-2007 12:45 PM | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 167 Likes: 1 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 167 Likes: 1 | That news made my day!!! I searched every topic for some kind of news yesterday and reading this was worth the wait. Congrats Minnie.
Bill B. Dx 10-16-06 Stage 4 T2N2bM0 SCC Left Tonsil,3 nodes. 1st tx 11-28-06, last tx 1-8-07. 3x Cisplatlin, 5fu pump, and Doxetaxel. Modified neck dissection,20 Nodes removed, all clear 02-21-07. HPV+,33 IMRT start 3-22-07 70GY,Completed 05-04-07  | | |
#12391 10-05-2007 01:21 PM | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 735 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 735 | Minnie..
Oh god I am sitting here in TEARS !! BUT HAPPY ONES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooo happy to hear this news , and I am so relieved for you and your famliy . I am thinking this is the week for good NEWS !!! WOW !! HOW RELIEVED and you must feel !! And almost ready to go home !!! I too have been waiting and searching to hear and Boy was it ever worth the wait !!
Shar
Sharlee
35 year old Female Non smoker, very occasional alcohol ..Scc T1N0M0,partial glossectomy and left neck disection ,2/9/07 No rad deemed ness. 4/16 tonsillectomy ..Trimengenial Neuralga due to surgery
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