Congrats Paul on getting the official word of NED!!! Hopefully this will be the end to all the treatments. Best wishes for a happy, healthy future

Congratulations, Paul, such good news!!!!!!!

Thank you Christine and Gloria! Now I hear my ENT, in addition to my RO, is leaving too. Maybe I'll be switching hospitals again. I'll find out in July on follow-up, further details.

Great official news, Paul! I hate your doctors are leaving but it's yet more proof life is moving on. Congratulations on some good news.

Thanks Uptown!

Study suggests Proton Therapy may be effective, less toxic treatment option for head and neck cancer.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20...ent-option-for-head-and-neck-cancer.aspx

A good read. Thanks Paul.

[quote]Study suggests Proton Therapy may be effective, less toxic treatment option for head and neck cancer.[/quote]Ditto that. Given the benefit of PT is to more precisely target the rads to the tumor, it makes sense it would be less toxic as less rads are hitting unintended areas.

I've been following up my doctors since May, probably around 10 visits lol, but it seems after a few days of visiting is when you develop problems that could have been addressed by one of them.

Currently, I'm dealing with chronic tooth, gum infection, abscesses. I saw my oral surgeon who prescribed a different antibiotic than PCP, who also prescribed Motrin 800, but wouldn't give me any oxy meds for the pain, so he is on my hit list to change! The oral surgeon, who I've been seeing for the chronic infections since last year, was waiting for me to come back after completing my recent treatment, which was in January, and was further advised to wait by my RO's for healing, clear scan, 6 months to do anything. I was to enjoy a few weeks break, minus other dr appoints, but my mouth, gum was irritated eating food, and developed an abscess in the chin, jaw area, so had to deal with that.

The oral surgeon is afraid to do anything now with all the radiation I had. He said whatever is done won't be easy, and needs to check with my RO, so have to go back on June 30th, and need to get rid of the infection first with the antibiotics. The good thing is the panoramic x-ray shows no change to my jaw since last October. My last visit was the first time I was asked if I had Medicaid, which I don't, and have Medicare, and was told it doesn't cover extractions, which I knew, but thought I was under a special program, never seen any charge, but the hospital was recently taken over by another, so they probably want a profit. The oral surgeon said I can't stay like this, and will, I guess we, have to find a way.

The teeth issues were somewhat under control, but then my shoulder decided to act up and be a bigger problem. My oncologist wants me to see a neurologist, and could make the appointment for July 30th, the earliest, and didn't ask or any pain meds, only ambian since I thought I would get something appropriate from the neurologist. My lyrica prescription ran out too.

My previously prescribed physical therapy for all around strength never happened, canceled 3x due tooth pain, nausea from the meds. I finally scheduled an appointment on Thursday, and can add the shoulder problem to the list.

I don't know what initiated the problem, surgery, treatments, injury or combination. It could be from the radical neck dissection, whereby the left neck muscle was removed, another surgery with a left pec flap, the carotid artery removal, and all the radiation, one which was in level V on the brachial plexus nerve, and often bounce off/hit the wall, door frames from lack of vision in the left eye, and unbalance from neuropathy.

I have noticed more numbness to my hand, arm, in addition to the already present neuropathy since 2009. I have limited arm raising ability from surgery, but never pain, and movement is even more limited now, and feels like pulling from my back, shoulder, and think the trapezoid atrophied. If I do raise my arm. I kind of swing it and or use my right arm to raise it like when I shower, and using a heating pad and tiger balm, which somewhat helps.

I may see pain management again for the neuropathy, teeth issues, and shoulder pain being many doctors are afraid to prescribe oxycodone or similar, which is a problem here in nyc with addiction, and black market selling. In fact, where I live the doctors have to check a database, I guess input too, to tract your controlled substance prescriptions records. It's ironic when you can get anything you want in this city, and never wanted any, and now I can't even get pain medications when you need them or it being a hassle. I can go to some of my other doctors, but I've just seem them, and no controlled substance can be telephoned in or by computer. You need a written prescription, and is only prescribed for 30 days, no refills. I guess it's the same all over.

To be continued lol. Maybe I'll post again in after treatment in the future.

PaulB, you are one tough cookie, that's for damn sure! I salute you, my friend!

You set and example of class and strength for all of us to benefit from; and I admire you for it!