| | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 38 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP  Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 38 | My Oncologist 'up-fronted' me with "26% of cancer patients suffer recurrance".
OK, now I have a reference, I never expected a LifeTimeGuarantee, just a cure of the current situation, which is what I got.
Two years later, I'm not surprised to be visiting the MD's again:
It'S kind of like athlets foot fungus, you know it's in your future, just not when, just now how severe, just not what the treatment will entail, but you DO know, you have an affinity for recurrence.
Life becomes, "What shall I do about it?", cancer is debilitating, so are it's treatments, what will life be like after I BEAT IT THIS Time?
Focus, People, Focus.
69yo male, Steam Engineer, Me=4,SCC=0, loving wife, living life as it comes (no other option)
We are all born from Mother, but live and die alone.
Make the best of it, Mommie did all she could, daddy was just a guidance councelor, the rest is ALL up to you.
...and now, 3rd occurance: Surgery 5/1/12
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 15 Member | | Member
Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 15 | My cancer just came back for the fourth time which kind of took me by surprise. It had been 2 years 8 months since the previous surgery and treatment. In the past, reoccurance had been about 12-14 months. Surgery was 1/3/2012 and I'm in pretty decent shape now and getting better each day.
8/06 Dx; T3N1 SCC rt lat tongue & nodes. 9/06 part gloss, neck dissection. 9/06-12/06 35XRT; Cisplatin 3x. 2/08 & 5/08 Part gloss; Brachy 2x5 Tx. 7/08-10/08 HBO 60 Tx. 3/08 Dx SCC. Surgery 4/7/09 glossectomy & rt mandible replacement from fibula. 1/31/12 4th reoccur surgery and reconstruct cheek.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 38 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | OP Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 38 | Never good to learn one has a recurrance, but at least you can now put your mind to fighting and surviving it again.
You know you can win, you've done it 3 times already, hang in there.
I was just diagnosed with another cancer, seems to be unrelated to tongue & mandible transplant, or they just missed it. Does not matter, my body is attacking itself again, have only one choice, Fight IT!
Same with you, just hang in there and Fight IT!
See you on the other side, CHARGE!
69yo male, Steam Engineer, Me=4,SCC=0, loving wife, living life as it comes (no other option)
We are all born from Mother, but live and die alone.
Make the best of it, Mommie did all she could, daddy was just a guidance councelor, the rest is ALL up to you.
...and now, 3rd occurance: Surgery 5/1/12
| | | | | 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 | Paul, I am very sorry you are going thru a recurrence again. Gosh, wasnt once enough? I am always so sorry whenever I see one of our members going thru a rough time. Be brave, you have done it before and you can do it again! This time around you know the medical jargon and what you need to do to get thru it. With recurrences, they are usually caught much earlier than the original illness so hopefully it will be much easier to treat.
Ive done it 3 times myself and the last one was the worst one for me. I had been Stage IV with needing my jaw removed. Recovery was a long rough road. Now its almost 3 years since that 3rd round. My life is full and happy. Sure I have limitations but I am alive and I spend my time helping others avoid the pitfalls which got me hospitalized. I credit the good people here with saving my life by urging me to get that last big surgery and now I give back just like they selflessly gave of themselves. You can get thru this and move on to making a difference in the lives of so many others. Helping others is what gives me a reason to get up in the morning. It may be a small thing but I feel that I am a valuable person spreading my knowledge to other oral cancer patients and their caregivers.
Im rooting for you, Paul. Please keep us posted as to your progress. Feel free to PM me with any questions you may encounter. Im in your corner!!! Best wishes!!!
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: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 4 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 4 | Paul and richie - we're all rooting for you - hugs and many blessings!
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 15 Member | | Member
Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 15 | Hang in there! You are stronger than you ever imagined!
neg lesion biospy 1/2007; lesion found 3/2011; baby boy 5/3/2011; biopsy 10/2011; diag. 10/17/2011 T2,SCC tongue; 10/25/2011 part. glossectomy 50% tongue rmvd w/muscle; 11/29/2011 neck dis; HSP 12/3/2011 infection of incision; 12/5/2011 29 lymph nodes negative for cancer. No chemo/radiation.
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