#3886 09-28-2004 01:34 PM | Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 8 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 8 | Tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 29th, at "high noon" I will be undergoing a "Left mandible resection, composite vascular graft to left mandible, harvesting bone from hip". (They're removing/replacing my left jawbone.)
Thanks to this wonderful forum I am approaching this surgery with a positive attitude and no apprehension; I view it as nearing the end to the nasty roller coaster ride I've been on since February.
I've come to realize that, compared to many of the survivors here, I am somewhat of a wimp with regards to the pain and side effects of the treatment. I survived just as many of you told me I would and thanks to the past posts, all (yes all) of my questions were answered from those of you kind enough to contribute your experiences.
So tomorrow is the beginning of a new adventure and I hope the end of an exisitng nightmare.
I thank you all for your support.
SCC,Left Mandible, Stage IVa, Diagnosed 2/28/04, Cisplatin/5FU, Radiation 40 days. Lower left mandible removed and replaced with bone from hip Septemeber 29th, 2004.
Happy Camper ever since!
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#3887 09-28-2004 02:32 PM | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 372 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 372 | Hey Charles,
Prayers are going up for you right now that surgery will go very well and you will be up and around before you know it! God bless you and your family and I will remember to say a special prayer for you tomorrow at high noon (of course I guess that will be a different time in Alabama)!
Take care,
Debbie
Debbie - Caregiver for husband, Dan, diagnosed with tongue cancer 7/03. Partial gloss., mod. neck dissections, graft. Recurrence neck tumor 12/03. Radical left neck dissection 12/24/03-unable to get all the tumor. 8 weeks chemo/rad beginning 1/12/04.
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#3888 09-28-2004 03:36 PM | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,163 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,163 | Hello Charles,
Best of luck on your operation Charles. I think most of us are wimps when it comes to pain. I know I am. Please let us know how everything goes as soon as you can. Will be thinking of you tomorrow.
Danny Boy
Daniel Bogan DX 7/16/03 Right tonsil,SCC T4NOMO. right side neck disection, IMRT Radiation x 33.
Recurrance in June 05 in right tonsil area. Now receiving palliative chemo (Erbitux) starting 3/9/06
Our good friend and loved member of the forum has passed away RIP Dannyboy 7-16-2006
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#3889 09-28-2004 03:51 PM | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 | Charles,
Don't worry what anyone thinks about something you have to or have already gone through. There is no part of this wild ride reserved for anything but warriors. Everyone that has dealt with this horrible disease is a true warrior and don't let anyone convince you differently. I hope all goes well and will be thinking special thoughts at exactly 2:00 pm Dallas time!
Ed
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
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#3890 09-28-2004 04:48 PM | Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 | Hi Charles,
I had the same surgery and if you can survive the radiation then the surgery will be a walk in the park. I have said MANY times that I would do the surgery ten times over before I would do the radiation again. Good luck and keep us posted.
Minnie
SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.
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#3891 09-28-2004 05:11 PM | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 155 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 155 | Hi Charles
The is no crying in baseball and as Uptown said there are no wimps in cancer, only warriors!!! That was the very first thing I learned about this disease.... Sending you major positive energy particularly at 3:00 CT time...( the kids at my YMCA will be there after school then..we'll send long range hug to you too...good luck Denise
Caregiver Husband Bob SCC tongue t2nomo Partial Glosectomy/neck disection 6/04 rad ending 9/23/04
Osteoradio-necrosis of the Mandible (ONJ) DX 6/09 Surgery 7/2/09 mandible resection/ several teeth extracted/ neck dissection NO FLAP and aggressive antibiotic therapy.
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#3892 09-29-2004 01:45 AM | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 837 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 837 | Charles,
Best wishes and prayers for a completely successful operation. I'm another one of those people who found surgery much easier to deal with than radiation, and I'm hoping you will too.
Cathy
Tongue SCC (T2M0N0), poorly differentiated, diagnosed 3/89, partial glossectomy and neck dissection 4/89, radiation from early June to late August 1989
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#3893 09-29-2004 03:25 AM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 | Charles
All my best wishes, I'm six weeks post surgery so if I can do it so can you..
Sunshine love and hugs
Helen
SCC Base of tongue, (TISN0M0) laser surgery, 10/01 and 05/03 no clear margins. Radial free flap graft to tonsil pillar, partial glossectomy, left neck dissection 08/04
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#3894 09-29-2004 06:43 AM | Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,116 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,116 | Hi Charles, thinking of you today and praying for you. Please let us know how things go for you...God Bless You! Carol
Diagnosed May 2002 with Stage IV tongue cancer, two lymph nodes positive. Surgery to remove 1/2 tongue, neck dissection, 35 radiation treatments. 11/2007, diagnosed with cancer of soft palate, surgery 12/14/07, jaw split. 3/24/10, cancer on tongue behind flap, need petscan, surgery scheduled 4/16/10
---update passed away 8-27-11---
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#3895 09-29-2004 11:12 AM | Joined: May 2003 Posts: 928 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2003 Posts: 928 | Hello Charles
Just wanted to add my good wishes.
We will be thinking of you today .
Take care
Marica
Caregiver to husband Pete, Dx 4/03 SCC Base of Tongue Stage IV. Chemo /Rad no surgery. Treatment finished 8/03. Doing great!
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