Hi Chris's caregiver,

You know when something is wrong and it doesn't matter how much the doctor says " it's fine don't worry"- when its wrong you know it. Obviously you went on to someone else and I wish your Mum all the very best with her treatment. It's tough- chemo is very doable because they have fine tuned the support drugs and it was really good. Radiation to the mouth is plainly awful- the side effects are very hard to manage and I recommend a feeding tube ( PEG) early in the piece if her mouth is being treated. It's been great when I couldn't eat but I'm eating normally and have been for a month and I'm sick if it but the oncologist won't remove it until I've had the 12 week PET scan following the end of treatment. Ultimately a minor inconvenience after all I've been through.
Look forward to hearing how Mum has coped with the treatment and I wish her the very best :)).
Penny

Hi Cheryl,
Thank you, I appreciate your comments and fully understand the vagaries of this wretched disease. No HPV, non smoker and small drinker, healthy lifestyle( sounds like an oxymoron when I have had cancer). I think the surgeon felt confident to the extent that 3 PET. scans that lit up at the centre if the jaw bone dissection were dismissed as scar tissue, fat necrosis etc and didn't know any better to challenge that. I would now but that's only after things have gone pear shaped and I realise how assertive you need to be at a time when you are vulnerable and often not well and at a serious disadvantage information wise. It's a big ask. Really appreciate your contribution to the conversation.
big ups to all of us who are working through it and surviving.

Kind regards
Penny

Hi Gary,

It's scandalous that your tumour was that obvious but that's the common story, a switched on health professional is rare commodity but there are many out there doing excellent work. It must be hard to read every situation correctly. I'm delighted that your situation sounds good and the disease has been stopped- fantastic outcome. While having my treatment I was grateful every day that I was in a place where the treatment i needed was available and affordable so as awful as it has been, I'm still very grateful for it :)). Thank you for contributing to the conversation.

Kind regards
Penny

Hello Penny, sounds like you have come through radiation and chemo well. So now it's just waiting for the post treatment PET. Try not to worry, it will be what it is and nothing you can do now will change that. Trust in your team.
I am appalled that you were made redundant through this. Do you have any recourse? Kris too was made redundant,- 6 months post chemo/rads. He is retired now as it is impossible to work without speech.
How exciting to have a holiday to look forward to. You will have a fabulous time . Kris and I will be travelling to Vietnam in September. Kris is a bit apprehensive but I feel that there is nothing that we couldn't cope with. And of course, life is for living.
Tammy