Billy, hope you are doing better each day. Patience, love and prayers....thats the only way to get through this. LJ

Ladyjoe,
I have been away from this forum for awhile because of computer problems so now am going back and catching up on some posts. I was reading about the dentist asking you to speak about the use of smokeless tobacco. Did your husband chew and for how long? I'm curious did his drs. ever tell him that's what caused the cancer. My husband chewed for almost 20yrs. The drs. never came out and said that's what did it. I guess they figured he felt bad enough why put salt in the wounds. Everytime I see a kid buying that stuff or cigerettes I just want to scream. The other day when I was in the gas station a kid was short 25 cents for his pack of cigerettes. The sales rep from some tobacco company was in there dropping off is cancer sticks and told the kid not to worry about it he would cover the difference. The kid was happy and the man was just so proud of himself for his "good deed". I could of just kicked him. I think instead of the written warning labels on those products they should start having pictures of people who have suffered from these cancer killers. Don't they say pictures speak a thousand words?

Rhonda

I was just on a business trip with a colleague of mine who had just returned from another trip to Chile. This guy is a smoker, and he was so proud to show off his packs of Marlboro's he bought so cheaply there - and each one had a graphic picture of a person who had oral cancer and a huge warning from the health ministry. He laughed about it... and kept on smoking. He even bragged about the 2 extra cartons he smuggled back in his suitcase - one for his wife...

Here's a link to show what Chile has done on cigarette packaging http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2007/01/04/the-face-of-chiles-anti-tobacco-campaign/ I understand other countries including Canada also have these graphic pictures.

Canada has had VERY graphic images on cigarette packages for a number of years now. It depends on who you talk to about the effectiveness of them.

Non-smokers are appalled; smokers for the most part indifferent. Everyone knows how deadly smoking can be, yet the habit is for some, impossible to break free of.

I was a long time smoker, and even after all that I've gone through I've had my moments where the insanity of it all breaks through and I think " oh, how much I USED to enjoy smoking"

It's a very hard thing to break away from; it's not must the physical addiction, it's the physcological side that is so enduring. We all started smoking for a variety of reasons, none good. getting off the smokes and staying that way is the tough part
Wayne

Daughters3, My hubby chewed for 30 years!The Dr. said they couldn't be possitive that the Chewing caused his cancer, he said it was just what happened. but the Specialist we went to in the very beginning said it takes up to 25 years for this to show up so, I guess its just who you talk to. I am sure this didn't help in any way. I just get sick to my stomach when I see these young kids chewing, If they only knew what could happen. But then my husband wouldn't listen eaither, You always think it won't happen to me. Two of his friends had cancer on the toungue and on the lip. It did make him go to the dentist but everything was clear then. So,,, lets hope by sharing our stories we can help someone else.

The first question my son's doctor asked is whether he smoked. I suppose they do that to be able to rule out one possible cause and concentrate on others. I sure hope that we can help someone eliminate this addiction, but it's probably more likely to be getting to our children with the right information and scary pics before they even start smoking. I've learned here that the point at which the smoker has the ability or desire to quit varies for everyone. Sometimes that point coincides with the point at which the cancer is deemed inoperable and there are no alternatives to treatment but palliative care. And at that point, it is too late, and it doesn't seem to make sense anymore to quit. I just hope that my other son (who smokes) is able to quit before these two points coincide.

This may seem such a small step to others but ..this morning when I woke up my husband had a pot of coffee on for me. Something he would do for me before he had the cancer. I was so touched and thrilled it brought tears to my eyes. My hubby said I only made you coffee but what a glorious cup it was. I told him I knew the day he could make me a pot of cofee he was on the up swing of things, he gave me one of his looks!!! Such simple things bring such joy. Then he said how about calling the Dr. on Monday I think I am ready to get this peg tube out. Another major step in our recovering. So far so good today...

That's wonderful!

Getting rid of the PEG tube definitely marks the end of a chapter. I hated the idea of having one from the start, but I also must admit that it was both useful and necessary. (Even though I had it relatively easy). It definitey feels good to be "unpluged" again although the moment of unpluging can be a bit eye opening (depending on the design of the PEG tube). Compared to radiation and all the other crap you have to go trough it is a non event!!

Best

Markus

Hard to believe that we are making progress every day! Hubby has been eating great, pizza, corn on the cob, fried peppers, sandwiches, donuts,Really wants to try all the fast foods, although his taste hasn't fully come back, I consider each day a minor miracle. He seens to like the buffett resturants as he can try a litle of a lot of variety. Hoping to get the peg tube out on Monday. Still has a bit of the muscus bot nothing like it was. Still gets tired, but his mananging to stay awake longer. He went into work today for a few hours. He has set his goal on returning to work 1/2 days as of Labor day. This is all so darn good to me. I could not imagine ever getting to this point!!!
Keeing you all in my prayers.