Soooo....I Have Cancer

SusanB148

Make sure to check out alternative therapies, such as Reiki and acupuncture that can help you endure the cancer treatment.

iggyboo93

((hugs))

You are young and strong. Advances in cancer treatment have moved at the speed of light in the past decade.

Many things are working in your favor to beat this.

FixIngMe13

:flowerforyou: I will definitely keep you in my prayers for the rest of the year. Being in good health is an advantage right now. I agree with the others that said if the Dr. says you'll be alright, you'll be alright. Keep that spirit of fighting. And do what the Dr. tells you to do.
Thank you for sharing, prayers are always good.

gracielynn1011

:flowerforyou: So sorry to hear this news. You vent hear when you need to, this anonymous therapy is good to help you process your thoughts. With a strong fight and such an aggressive plan of treatment, you have to believe your doctors, you WILL be okay! Prayers and positive thoughts for you!

BinaryPulsar

Orfygirl

((((((HUGS)))))))) Thank you for sharing. I'm praying for you!

jennifershoo

{{{{hugs}}}}

HSokol

One thing is certain: I'm ready to put up the fight of my life and come out on the other side as a stronger person.

You most definitely will. I am a cancer survivor myself; although my story/ diagnosis was not as involved/serious as yours is i understand the fear, nervousness and helplessness you are feeling. I had been diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Septmeber of 2011 after dealing with Lymes disease for a year. I was supposed to be leaving in two weeks for Europe for my brothers wedding which i had been planning for a year. Obviously that trip didnt happen. During the months of September and October i went through several test and fertility treatments to freeze eggs before i started chemo therapy which i finished in March of 2012 and then i did radiation therapy on my chest during June of 2012.

There are so many factors that play into your treatment, but you have taken all of the right steps so far. You took the right moves by having the biopsies done and keeping on top of your health. You have a plan in place which will make life hard for a while, but like you said you will get through it and will become a stronger person. Good luck with your upcoming surgeries and treatments.I wish you the best of everything and in health and luck. My prayers are with you.

Just_Scott

Hey, look at the posts, we all care. Most of us know somebody who has gone through this battle and other's have gone through it themselves. Praying for your well being and peace for your family. Get well so you can play those courses.

cesse47

Links Slayer -- I'm so sorry to hear your news. I know how gut wrenchingly awful it is to hear that diagnosis. It sounds as though you have a long tough battle ahead of you and it sounds like you're in the frame of mind to do battle. Good For You!!
Your doctor said "It will be OK" ... so Believe him with EVERY atom in your body. Keep that Positive Affirmation in the front of your mind at all times. When things get to feel like it's too much, reinforce that belief by chanting inside your mind ... It will be OK; I will get through this!
I luckily had a most excellent friend who went with me to every appointment I had before, during, and after my surgery and all other procedures. I almost always had a list of questions. She made sure each got answered. She asked questions based on what the doc said to me at the meetings. I tried to but it always felt like my mind was spinning and I was only hearing every third word. In her, I was truly blessed. I also have a close friend who is a missionary and who has a daily global-wide prayer circle. She kept me in her prayers through-out the many weeks and months. I had positive affirmations taped on all the mirrors in my house to remind me to keep positive throughout the process.
Everything WILL BE OK!! Believe it!

Amy4President

Soooo.... Kick its @$$!

trodney1104

My prayers are with you mighty warrior! Keep fighting the good fight! God is with you. Be strong in Him!
Peace & Blessings be yours.

Booksandbeaches

I'm really sorry to hear this, but you will get through this. You have a great attitude and great support system.

I've had the same diagnosis several years ago but for another type of cancer, so I know how it feels. I really do. And I had no family history of any kind of cancer at all, so I was even more shocked I got it. I still remember what it was to tell family and friends. Their reaction was the same "But you're so young!"..... But I caught mine early. Early treatment can do SO much these days. I wish you all the best...... I don't really have bad days anymore. Every day I'm alive now is a great day.

whitebalance

What your surgeon said.
You're going to be OK.
You're going to be OK.
You're going to be OK.

I'm mostly a lurker, so you don't know me, but I know you well enough from your posts to say this with confidence. You're tough, you're strong, you're healthy, and you're completely capable of kicking cancer's @$$. I know MANY people who've had it, beat it down, and gone on to live perfectly normal cancer-free lives afterward. This is totally doable -- and your doctors wouldn't lie to you about your capacity to get through it and their capacity to treat it. And it sounds like you caught it early enough that the odds are in your favor.

Like you said, it just got real. Hang in there. Take care of you, first and foremost and always. And know that you're now in the prayers of yet another random stranger on teh interwebz.

succeedin2

I'm so sorry to hear that but you are in my prayers! I can tell that you have a very positive attitude and that will get you very far!

JRSchumaker

You're sharing with strangers because you don't have to worry about how we feel about it. When you share with friends and family, how they feel is an added burden to your current personal hell. Share away, man. I wish you the best, and I'll be thinking about you.

DCruz83

I read it all and wow, I have no words, all I can do is imagine what that must feel like, I've never had to deal with anything remotely close, not even via a family member. I wish you the best and give it all you've got!

iamjuju17

I'm so sorry about the news.

The important thing is to keep a positive attitude and take it one step at a time. I think your ENT is completely right. You are going to be ok. Get your support system together. I hope that you know who you are going to take with you to your next appointments.
if you need to vent/express frustration, use whichever outlet is comfortable for you. I think you will be fine as well. It's a big inconvenience and you will come out stronger in the end! :-D

xsflow

http://oralcancersupport.org/forums/ is an excellent place to get further information around what to expect and what you should be preparing yourself for in the next few months.

Now is the time to EAT EAT EAT and make sure you have plenty of weight put on for the long road ahead.

Best of luck and my prayers are with you, your family & the crew who will be looking after you during this journey ahead.

luvopera

Writing can be very healing, so it makes sense that you shared this. I appreciate your honesty and openness. My prayers are with you.

breeezy1030

Sounds like you have the right attitude. My prayers and thoughts are definitely with you, You really make me think about how even though we are on MFP trying to plan and set goals and such, but you never know when life will throw you a curve ball. Life is so unpredictable, but God never puts more on our plate than we can handle.

beachgal0626

So sorry to hear that news -- hugs and prayers to you. Your strength and great attitude, and the support of many will get you through this difficult time. Kick cancer's butt!!!

irishblonde2011

Wow I am really sorry to hear what you are going through. I remember talking to you briefly about your love of golf(my boyfriend is a pro) and you work so hard to be healthy. You sound really positive and I am sure you have a great family who will support you all the way. Your in my thoughts.

ldrosophila

So many blessings to you that you have a fast recovery. I don't know your beliefs, but I pray for you to have strength to get through this ordeal and that your body heals quickly and completely. Prayers for your family too.

If you do have to have the NGT feedings focus on calm and keep repeating to yourself that you are getting this nutrition to help give you the strength to heal.

This may be to early, and you are in no way obligated to answer, but did the doctor say what were the possible risk factors for tongue cancer?

Is this something we all should be screened for?

chunkydunk714

You are strong already. Everything is going to be fine.

jackiebertram65

First I want to say I am so sorry you are going through this. I read every word you wrote, and then read all 6 pages of comments from MFP "friends". YOU WERE VERY BRAVE TO SHARE YOUR FEELINGS, FEARS AND EMOTIONS WITH US!

When I was diagnosed with Cancer I had all the same feelings, fears and emotions. THE BIG C WORK IS VERY FREIGHTNING, NO MATTER HOW YOUNG OR OLD SOMEONE IS ! Talking about it and getting it out, is the BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF NOW. Cry if you need to, shout to your HIGHER POWER: WHY, WHY, WHY , WHY ME ? Get out your ANGER so you can be strong to deal with this.

As others have suggested I recommend you do as much research as you can on the subject : the type of Cancer you have, treatments etc. Knowledge is your best defense now. Take someone with you to every visit, have a list of questions, take a tape recorder too if you have one. It sounds crazy but you hear about half or less of what they tell you. Your mind and body are on overload, you just can't comprehend it all.

I know you will get through this. I DID ! 15 years Cancer Free and Loving every day on the other side of Cancer. I went Sky Diving for my 10th Anniversary AC (after Cancer). Set goals for yourself to celebrate every step of the way, gives you things to focus on.

Best of Luck to you My Friend, I know you will make it. My thoughts and prayers are with you !

Gidzmo

tl;dr...I know.

I have a history of some ugly white spots appearing on my tongue. They were first noticed by my dentist at a 6 month check-up in 2008 and then again by me in 2010. Biopsies were performed and and each time it was determined that it was just dysplasia. While it didn't seem like a big deal, my ENT removed the tissue from my tongue. It was not a pleasant experience to say the least.

Fast forward to May of this year and thing started to feel a little weird while we were in California on vacation. I decided to just let it go, see if it would go away, whatever. After about a week and a half, things weren't feeling better so I took a look in the mirror. I knew immediately that something was wrong. It looked completely different than the last 2 versions and was in a slightly different location. I was scared.

I scheduled an appointment with my ENT for Friday June 14. He did a very thorough exam of my tongue. I could tell he did not like what he was seeing and feeling. He sat down on his chair, expressed an enormous level of concern with what he saw, and then told me those words that I will never EVER forget:

“You have cancer.”

My mind started spinning out of control and I felt like one of the characters from Mortal Kombat was using my stomach as a speedbag. I think he just said I have cancer. That cannot be true…can it? This isn't supposed to happen to a 30 year old guy that doesn't smoke, doesn't chew, drinks in moderation, and is arguably in the best shape of his life, right? A thousand questions started flooding my mind. How did this happen? You know this just by LOOKING at it? What are the next steps? I know you are a smart doctor but there is a chance you could be wrong…right? Do I need chemo? Radiation? What do I tell my family? Am I going to die.....?

Two biopsies, CT scan, chest x-ray, blood work, an MRI, 2nd and 3rd opinions in hand, and 6 days later his original diagnosis was confirmed.

I have cancer.

Woah. I called my family and close friends and told them the news. I repeated the story about a dozen times over the following week or so but the words didn't really seem to sink in. That quickly changed during my 2nd appointment with my head and neck surgeon. We reviewed the MRI scan and the tumor was staring me right it the eyes. Talk about a reality check. This *kitten* just. Go. Real. My surgeon put his hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eyes, and said, "You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay."

The next steps are surgery to remove the tumor and the lymph nodes in my neck, skin graft/reconstruction on my tongue, a 7-14 day recovery in the hospital, an additional 2-3 week recovery at home. After review of the pathology results of the lymph nodes and tumor I'll know whether or not I need radiation. At this time it seems as though it will be necessary (according to my surgeon, but it's technically TBD) which means 6-6 1/2 weeks of treatment followed by ~4 weeks of recovery afterwards.

Right now it's the fear of the unknown that scares me the most. I have no idea what to expect coming out of surgery. I'll likely need a feeding tube from my noes to my stomach and it's possible that I'll need a temporary tube in my trachea depending on how swollen my mouth and throat are when he is finished working. These things scare me but I know that I am in the hands of incredibly talented and compassionate doctors and nurses.

I have no idea why I'm sharing this with a bunch of strangers in the interwebz. I'm not looking for pity and I'm not looking for sympathy. Maybe I'm just using this as a form of therapy. If you've made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read my story. One thing is certain: I'm ready to put up the fight of my life and come out on the other side as a stronger person.

Hang in there, Linkslayer! There may be a few people here who have been where you are (in various stages). You've already indicated that you're willing to fight, and that's half the battle. :flowerforyou: :drinker:

SailorSarah311

I can't imagine what you are going through right now, but I somehow have this feeling that you're a fighter. You'll pull through just fine. You've been given a challenge. Take it head on. Think positive thoughts and plan for a great future.

Retiredmom72

I am sorry that you are going through this. You have kept an eye on it and noticed the change. You are strong and ready to fight. Fight and never give up. Good luck.

Katkamm77

August, 2009 I was diagnosed with cancer. I went through chemo, surgery and radiation (two different areas of radiation). The chemo did me in. I don't know how anyone can continue a normal, active, go-to-work life on chemo (at least not the type I had). The radiation was nowhere near that bad. In my opinion, the worst thing about it was having to go everyday. The 1st session took about 45 mins. They measured and marked and remeasured and remarked the areas (don't let them tattoo the marks on you unless you want little dots as a permanent reminder. Make them cover the marks with clear tape. They gave me a choice...I chose the latter). The subsequent sessions lasted about 5-10 mins. (it took me longer to get undressed and redressed than the actual therapy). I got a radiation burn on one sight. I was given an ointment to be applied 2x daily and told to come back in a week. There were no other side affects. I carried on my normal, daily activities.

The whole thing was scary because I didn't know what to expect. Heck, cancer is scary. My outlook during the entire time was; I trusted my doctor. He would do what he needed to do and I would do what I needed to do. I tried not to let the cancer run my life. My type of cancer is liable to come back but, I can't worry about it. I will deal with it if, and when, it returns. Most days I don't even think of it.

Good luck to you. I wish you the best. Try to stay positive, follow your doctor's instructions and keep active (mentally and physically). Oh,yeah, and bring an mp3 player or music on your phone, to the radiation therapy. Listening to music made it go SO much quicker. Just don't do what I did the 1st day and accidentally put it on "loop" or it will drive you mad!