my husband, squamos cell carinoma

lynnedbird · Regular Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 14

In Feb ,my 45 year old husband had a sore throat, I do daycare so sore throats are something common the end ofMay he told me he still has a sore throat on left side of throat and lots of weight loss, needed maybe to see a dr.(he never wants to see a dr.) went to dr and they gave him 10 days of antibiotics, it still did not go away, So he went to see a ENT. Which was another 10 days, so end of June he went to ent. Wanted to take his tonsils out so set up another appt. ony time was Aug 4th! they took his right one and was fine, they got to the left one and he quit and sent us to the mayo clinic (we live within hour of them) They looked and saw cancer, did pet scan and found it was stage 4 and lymph nodes in neck too! Scheduled of course all the tests, and another surgery on Aug 12th. They took 62 nodes and the left tonsil and all the tissue around down to the jawbone and artery that they could get. they were not sure they got all of it and didnt want to dig any more, it was 8 hours in surgery and 2 surgeries in a week. He was very week and sore. after he got out of hospital it was another 2 weeks before he did set up for raditation. We did all the tests, and molds and whatever else they did to set up for radiation. 1 week later he started radiation finally. Sept 15. With in the first week he was feeling naseua, tired and blamed it on a bug. I am sure it is not!! This week he has the same, but no taste buds, and is getting sore. ITs only been 10 days and he is not doing good, we still have 4 weeks. He is still working, and trying to live normal with this but i know better!!! CAN ANYONE tell me what do we still have to look for and what is going to happen. I have read all the books, but maybe someone with this experience can help!!!!

He has been my rock, i lost both my parents last year to cancer, my dad died April 19th of lung cancer and my mom died May 29th of panceatic cancer. I am not sure what to do for him and he is mad all the time and tired all the time(i understand why) i just dont know what i can do for him!!!

What is the prognosis for this cancer, how fast does it grow, does one set of radiation do it. I know everyone is different but everything says the same thing and the drs always sound like they can cure it all, But with my parents I KNOW DIFFERENT!!! The told me this with them too!!! I AM SCARED!!! We still have a kid in school and we now have granddaughters! One week after my moms funeral my son got married to a woman with 2 daughters and last aug, my son had his first daughter. She is my husbands pride and joy and she has him wrapped around her finger and i want him to around to watch her grow!!! and to see our son graduate!!! I want to do all we can and i am not sure what that is. He does not like to take medication and eats healthy, but was a smoker up to Aug 11th!! He does not think that caused the cancer, and sometimes he just thinks all the magical cures lie in just the food he can eat. DO ANY of them cancer cures do this or help or is all of it a crock!!! Please can someone help me!!! I am losing faith in everything and please help me find it back!!!!1 Lynn

brainman

Oh dear! First your father died, then your mother, and now your husband has cancer too??!!!!!! How terrible. I am not an expert by any means on squamous cell carcinomas so I cannot help you that much. I do know a lot of people who have gone through extensive surgery of the neck and are still living 10 years after surgery but I do not know any specifics about there cancers.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2405
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2528
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 3: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Twitter: @JimHawkins54

lynnedbird · Regular Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 14

Thank you! Yes it has been a very trying year since april 2007!!!

[quote="brainman"]Oh dear! First your father died, then your mother, and now your husband has cancer too??!!!!!! How terrible. I am not an expert by any means on squamous cell carcinomas so I cannot help you that much. I do know a lot of people who have gone through extensive surgery of the neck and are still living 10 years after surgery but I do not know any specifics about there cancers.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.[/quote]

lynnedbird · Regular Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 14

On sat, my hubsand decided not to do any more than this next week of radiation. It has diminished his body,. he is losing weight again, after finally gaining a little back, and bleeding outta his mouth, somewhere, tongue, gums, sore all over his mouth, naseua, not eating, taste bad, ear hurts and just all around beating him, we expected this in about the 4thor 5th week not the 2nd. after this week i am sure he will be an all liquid diet, can barely eat now! after this week we would be half way thru but he does not want to continue! He ordered 800 dollars( that we can not afford) of miracle natural stuff!!! Do any of you know, does any of that stuff work??? how do i find out if it really is what it is said, he thinks the drs are killing him with the radiation. Does not want to continue this at all. I am having a real problem with this cause my mom started radiation and quit after 1t week and died 8 weeks later. I need someone that can help me feel somekind of positive!!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!

brainman

lynnedbird, my heart breaks for you and your husband. I wish I had something of comfort or help to offer you at this terrible time in your life.

I do know that loss of appetite and all of the other things you describe are very common for individuals receiving radiation the the throat. It does get better after the end of the treatments.

In 1993, right after I was diagnosed, I started chemotherapy. In 1994 after finishing the chemo, I turned 40. On my birthday, my coworkers made fun of me because I was "over the hill." I told them that I was not bothered by being 40 but that I thought someone owed me a year because 1993 was a total loss.

I am telling you this because now, almost 16 years after my original diagnosis, I look at that "lost year" as a good investment: 1 year with 16+ year return. I would not presume to give your husband advice about HIS decision. There are so many factors in these decision. However, I hope he is making an informed decision in consultation with his own medical team.

You and your husband continue in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2405
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2528
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 3: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Twitter: @JimHawkins54

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Head and Neck Cancer/ Thyroid Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others