Soooo....I Have Cancer

Options
1…1617192122…26

Replies

  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
    Options
    You can keep thinking about the things on your side: the knowledgeable and caring docs, you are YOUNG, FIT and otherwise HEALTHY and STRONG. I keep thinking about Lance Armstrong and how he had testicular, lung and brain cancer and came out (if not ethically/morally stronger), cancer-free and went on to a lucrative career because he was young and fit. Keep your chin up and your eyes forward, and please accept my kindest thoughts and sincerest prayers sent your way. Just keep swimming.
  • CompressedCarbon
    CompressedCarbon Posts: 357 Member
    Options
    Thank you for your courage in sharing your story and for the update. It is the best post I've read today. Best wishes for a complete recovery and an amazing life moving forward. No doubt in my mind that you will win.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Options
    Awesome attitude in the face of something awful. Strength and grace to you, heal fast and well!
  • silvergurl518
    silvergurl518 Posts: 4,123 Member
    Options
    wonderful update, josh! so happy to hear the news!
  • Fab30s
    Fab30s Posts: 157 Member
    Options
    That's one terrible blow and am sorry life has dealt you this card. But your positive attitude is gonna get you through this. FIGHT!! And I will say a prayer for you.
  • aStrongerSteph
    aStrongerSteph Posts: 161 Member
    Options
    You have an amazing attitude and I pray you will be blessed with a clean bill of health by this time next year.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the update...Stay strong bro

    This is always the silent fear in the back of my mind...It's terrifying...This story helps and is very humbling. Thanks for sharing and get well soon.
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 412 Member
    Options
    Glad to hear you are doing so well. My mother had a similar procedure years ago. I remember her relief in having the tubes removed!
  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 677 Member
    Options
    Wow. Your story is inspirational! You are incredibly strong, both physically and mentally. I'll be praying for your full recovery! Keep us updated!!
  • mrsduke2924
    mrsduke2924 Posts: 104 Member
    Options
    will be thinking of you - you can fight this. you sound so switched on, brave and ready - you're in the best shape you could be to beat this. Hugs xx
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    Options
    Well written, I am sure you will be OK.
    I am on this site because od difficulties after part of my intrtines were removed for similar reasons.

    Take care.
  • IndianMuslim
    IndianMuslim Posts: 154
    Options
    I work in radiation / oncology in Illinois and I see patients come in with every type of cancer imaginable. Some undergo treatment after their initial consultation with our doctors and some don't. I am so happy that your surgery went well and that you are recuperating so wonderfully. It sounds like you have a great support system, including a great team of doctors, and a positive spirit that is extremely helpful in this type of situation. Praying that your appointment with the radiation oncologist goes well. Hang in there, you're doing great :flowerforyou:
  • BattleTaxi
    BattleTaxi Posts: 752 Member
    Options
    Glad to hear the news, I hope it continues to get better! Will keep you and your family in my prayers!
  • nyrina4life
    nyrina4life Posts: 196 Member
    Options
    You know, it'll be okay. You're a strong person, and you're young. {{Hugs}}

    Don't let stress wear you down, keep yourself from stressing (as much as possible). Keep doing things that make you happy, because this will significantly improve your speed of recovery from the events that will take place.
  • nmprovo
    nmprovo Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    It's a good sign that the surgeon told you that you will be OK! It means that he's confident they can treat it and you will be back to normal! Prayers for you! :)
  • mamacremers
    mamacremers Posts: 183 Member
    Options
    Best wishes. My sister's sister in law had mouth cancer at 25. She had a 1 year old daughter at the time. She put it off because e was pregnant/had a tiny baby and she was broker than broke. They gave her the same prognosis as you before the surgery. She was going to lose half her tongue, would likely need chemo and radiation. When she finally had the surgery, they removed 1/3 of her tongue and grafted from her arm to her tongue and from leg to arm. She looked like hell. And she still gets stares because of how invasive the surgery was. But she kicked it with the surgery alone. I wish all the best for you and I hope you're as lucky as her!
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
    Options
    ^^ that procedure is exactly what they did to me - although I'm not sure exactly how much of my tongue they took...it's still pretty swollen. But it's going down slowly and I'm getting to the point where I can talk more and more.

    AND....I ate some mac & cheese tonight. It was the first "real" food (non-pudding, non-mashed potatoes, non-ice cream, non-yogurt) I've eaten since surgery. It took me about 10 minutes to eat the bowl but I savored every bite. Putting on the 17 pounds I lost in the hospital is proving to be more difficult than I thought....nice problem to have, I know....

    Thank you again for all of the support and encouragement. I'm VERY nervous about radiation (mainly the side effects) but will cross those bridges when we get there.
  • scarrie2
    scarrie2 Posts: 80 Member
    Options
    You are very brave telling your story. Thank you for sharing. It makes you open your eyes and realize you are not invincible. stay strong and fight. :)
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    Options
    Surgery went well according to my doc. 9 hours and 40 minutes later I was in the ICU.

    After sugery I had a breathing tube in my left nostril, feeding tube in my right nostril. My neck swelled to the size of a softball from the lymph node removal and had a 2 draining tubes in it. My right forearm had a sleeve-like bandage on it to cover the incision they made to take the artery/vein for my flap reconstruction. My right wrist had this weird vacuum bandage on it covering the area that they harvested skin for my tongue from. My right thigh had a ~1.5 inch x ~4 inch area where they took skin to replace to skin on my right wrist. Turns out I didn't need a trachostemy which was good (one less tube coming out of my body...).

    On Tuesday night my blood pressure, pulse, and temp started to soar and I was sweating profusely. My room was set to be maintained at 74 degrees F so the blood vessels in my mouth wouldn't constrict in order for the flap to heal. Every. Single. Bone in my body was saying, "Time to wave the white flag dude. You're done." It was a very odd experience. Every breath seemed to take 5 minutes. I closed my eyes and said to myself, "Not a chance you're giving up now. Keep fighting. Don't give up." I have no idea if they gave me any meds (I'd be surprised if they didn't) but my BP and pulse eventually came back down.

    I was transferred to a "regular" hospital room on Wednesday late in the afternoon. Later that evening my surgeon paid us a visit. He looked at my mouth, said it looks great, and asked if he could share some good news with us. He said (more) words that I will never forget: "The margins on the tumor were exceptionally clear, and so were all of the lymph nodes we removed." Tears welled up in my eyes as well as my wife's. Through a swollen tongue I was able to manage a "Thank you, doctor. Thank you." Since the question was on both of our minds my wife asked what this means as far as radiation is concerned. He said the path results were definitely a game changer but he didn't want to completely rule it out yet. My surgeon is going to meet with a radiation oncologist at his hospital (this whole thing was done out of network....that's a whole other story that I could go on and on and on about....), discuss this at a weekly cancer forum, and also consult a radiation oncologist (in my network) where I would likely receive treatment if needed.

    The tubes slowly but surely came out over the week but I came home with my feeding tube still in. Ugh. What a pain in the *kitten*. It didn't hurt but was uncomfortable and made it difficult to swallow and breathe. It came out at my appointment last week which was awesome. After he removed it my doctor handed me a small cup of water and said, "Here you go. Cheers." It was the first sip of water I had since the night before surger and it tasted oh so good.

    I don't know what the deal is but I've been in essentially ZERO pain since leaving the ICU. It's been at least a week and a half since I've taken any sort of pain med. I'm not complaining. I asked my doc about this at my appointment last week...I was concerned that there may have been some sort of damage or something??...and he just chuckled and said no pain about the best thing we can expect and while not "normal" it isn't uncommon.

    All my wounds are healing and I'm just waiting for the swelling in my mouth to go down so I can start eating real food again.

    I can't get too far ahead of myself and I know I'm not out of the woods yet but things are looking pretty good. I still have a long way to go, especially if we do radiation. But I'm very grateful to be home and even more excited that I can eat soft solid food as long as I can tolerate it. It's getting boring though but I know it's just temporary.

    I have an appointment next Tuesday with my radiation oncologist where we will discuss the pros and cons of radiation for my situation.

    Be Well,
    Josh

    Thank you for the update. I thought of you the other day and had NO idea how I'd find your thread. Then today it was just right there. Glad you're getting good news and hope things get better and better. :flowerforyou:

    I've been thinking of you as well, ever since I read your first post. It's good to know you're coping with all of this craziness, I can only imagine how bizarre it must all be for you and your wife. Looking forward to additional updates, and wishing you all the best in the meantime. Thank you for sharing your experience.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Options
    So happy to read your update! Great news. Enjoy the little things...

Categories