#21864 01-01-2007 06:46 AM | Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 5 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 5 | Hi everybody,
I wished I had found this great site earlier than just yesterday. I hope I can contribute something from my own experience for the benefit of others as well as benefit myself from advice when I will face difficult choices or even receive comfort should times get tougher than they are right now.
Right now I am making a little progress every day in recovering from the damage I have suffered in radiation treatment at MD Anderson until Nov 17th.
Mucositis was very bad, has healed almost completely, swallowing was extremely painful to almost impossible, is getting much better, but still painful.
So I still rely on my feeding tube (directly into the stomach)that was installed about 10 weeks ago for nutrition and medication intake. All I swallow is lots of tea.
I am still on very heavy pain medication (Methadone) and cannot yet wean off, although I try all the time to reduce at least a little.
Tomorrow I face my first check-up after the radiation treatment and I am very anxious to know whether the ordeal has paid off.
So, this in a nutshell is my cancer story. Let me know if I can be of assistance in any way.
Abraham
age 58, father of four, base of tongue cancer T2,N0,M0 diagnosed in Aug 2006 in Berlin, radiation completed Nov 2006 at MD Anderson, first check-up showed no current cancer to be found. :-)Keeping fingers (and everything else) crossed at all times !.
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#21865 01-01-2007 09:00 AM | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 109 Gold Member (100+ posts) | | Gold Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 109 | Welcome Abraham, i too, went to MD Anderson! What a great place, huh? Im glad to see that the first hard part is over for you, now comes the second part...getting off the meds! Just take one day at a time, and dont try to rush the healing process, it all comes in good time! Let us know how your check up goes, and again, welcome and Happy New Year!!!  | | |
#21866 01-01-2007 10:00 AM | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Abe,
Try to start to eat a few things via your throat. I started 3 weeks post Tx with mashed potatoes w/ gravey, then mac and cheese, then fruit cocktail, then tuna salad with plenty of mayo. I also quit all my meds in my 3rd week because they couldn't cure the nausea and I'm glad I did. That in combo with trying solid foods gave me more confidence than anything else. I finally felt I was back in control amd it wasn't long that I was eating anything I wanted.
See my recent post in After Treatment Issues re my progress 4 months out of Tx.
Hang in there and give yourself a chance to take back the control you once had.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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#21867 01-01-2007 02:01 PM | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 417 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 417 | Once again, we are here for you ... Fear not...
Darrell
Stage 3, T3,N1,M0,SCC, Base of Tongue. No Surgery, Radiationx39, Chemo, Taxol & Carboplatin Weekly 8 Treatments 2004. Age 60. Recurrence 2/06, SCC, Chest & Neck (Sub clavean), Remission 8/06. Recurrence SCC 12/10/06 Chest.
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#21868 01-02-2007 10:29 AM | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 75 Senior Member (75+ posts) | | Senior Member (75+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 75 | Abe
The food tube will help you, I tried without big mistake. There is great advise and support here.
Progress seems small now, stay strong, keep up the fight.
Tongue Cancer, stage 4, spread to neck/ Radical neck, 3 chemos, 33 radiation. 5-18-2005
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#21869 01-02-2007 11:07 AM | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 794 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 794 | Abe.....I am thinking about you. It is 4:00 now, Central time...as in Houston. You might already know your results, or you might be getting them now. I hope like crazy that you got good news today, but if you didn't, please let the rest of us support you for whatever step comes next in this journey of yours.
Colleen--T-2N0M0 SCC dx'd 12/28/05...Hemi-maxillectomy, partial palatectomy, neck dissection 1/4/06....clear margins, neg. nodes....no radiation, no chemo....Cancer-free at 4 years!
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#21870 01-02-2007 05:43 PM | Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 5 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 5 | Thank you all, my new found friends, for the support !
I made the mistake of not showing my results on this Topic but elsewere.
So here is the great news, with which I have been blessed to start the New Year with:
"No traces of the tumour can be found at this timne !" That is what Dr. Garden at MD Anderson told me this afternoon !
Neither on the CT scan, nor viusually, nor by reaching in with a ruthless finger ! And also, there are no signs of anything being worrisome elsewhere, either.
Sorry I do not know all the medical terms (yet) but you will know what I mean.
I hope for each of you that you have a wonderful start into the year, too, and all the best beyond.
Thank you all so very much for caring !
Abraham
age 58, father of four, base of tongue cancer T2,N0,M0 diagnosed in Aug 2006 in Berlin, radiation completed Nov 2006 at MD Anderson, first check-up showed no current cancer to be found. :-)Keeping fingers (and everything else) crossed at all times !.
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#21871 01-02-2007 06:03 PM | Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 325 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 325 | Wonderful! You must be so relieved. Happiest New Year!!
SCC L lat tongue,Dx 9/15/05 T1N0MX L MND and L lateral hemiglossectomy 10/03/05. Recurrence 11/15/06 2nd surgery 12/04/06 hemiglossectomy 3rd surgery 01/15/07 tonsillectomy Radiation 01/25/07 to 03/08/07 3-D/CRT X 30
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#21872 01-02-2007 07:12 PM | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 794 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 794 | Ahhhhhh, what wonderful news!! Now you can breathe, and realize that the bad dream is over and you can move on. I am happy for you!
Colleen--T-2N0M0 SCC dx'd 12/28/05...Hemi-maxillectomy, partial palatectomy, neck dissection 1/4/06....clear margins, neg. nodes....no radiation, no chemo....Cancer-free at 4 years!
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#21873 01-02-2007 10:07 PM | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 75 Senior Member (75+ posts) | | Senior Member (75+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 75 | Happy New Year You are the first person to say anything about the ruthless finger. There got to be a better way. Great news
Tongue Cancer, stage 4, spread to neck/ Radical neck, 3 chemos, 33 radiation. 5-18-2005
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