larynx cancer caregiver- new to board

Hello,

DH was diagnosed in March with stage 4 cancer of the larynx.  He just finished his 10 radiation treatment.  This journey is harder than I ever thought it would be.

DH is only 50 and in excellent health (other than the cancer).  He is a non-smoker.

The cisplat was terrible!  We go in for round 2 on May 7th!  He is pretty scared.  He also has severe reactions to the Ethyol injections prior to radiation.  Voice is starting to go and food issues have only begun.  He has a peg tube, but we aren't using it yet.

Looking for someone who is also going through this to chat with. 

 I am also new to this board. My mother has stage 4 laryngeal cancer and has been battling it it for 6 months although I suspected she has known about it or was somewhat awarr of it for well over 4-6 months before that. I thought she might have cancer as I watched her health go down the toilet ( 30 year smoker ) . Until one night when I was watching her virtually fall face first into the floor while sitting down I had to tell her she was full of BS and I was going to call the ambulance anyway. So we ended up in the emergency room 2 oclock in the morning and they gave her some O 2 and a breathing treatment and opened her airway up some. They sent her home the next day ( same day really ) and we decided to take her to a real hospital,  as the one we were in before was questionable at best, but closest at hand. When we got her there they were shocked at how impeded her airway was and immediately did an emergency tracheostomy ( no anesthetic ). A long story somewhat short, that was January and since then we have been trying to start chemo and radiation. In the process of doing both of those things she has had a anaphalactic reaction to the first Chemo ( herbatox) and an antibiotic resistant infection. All through that the tumor got too large to treat with radiation so now we are treating it with a different chemo to shrink it so that it can be irradiated also. Enough doom and gloom though ( plenty of that to go around stay strong cry if u need to when you get a minute to yourself ) this chemo is shrinking the cancer so I'll just take what I can get.

 

On 6/24/2007 Jomud wrote:

 I am also new to this board. My mother has stage 4 laryngeal cancer and has been battling it it for 6 months although I suspected she has known about it or was somewhat awarr of it for well over 4-6 months before that. I thought she might have cancer as I watched her health go down the toilet ( 30 year smoker ) . Until one night when I was watching her virtually fall face first into the floor while sitting down I had to tell her she was full of BS and I was going to call the ambulance anyway. So we ended up in the emergency room 2 oclock in the morning and they gave her some O 2 and a breathing treatment and opened her airway up some. They sent her home the next day ( same day really ) and we decided to take her to a real hospital,  as the one we were in before was questionable at best, but closest at hand. When we got her there they were shocked at how impeded her airway was and immediately did an emergency tracheostomy ( no anesthetic ). A long story somewhat short, that was January and since then we have been trying to start chemo and radiation. In the process of doing both of those things she has had a anaphalactic reaction to the first Chemo ( herbatox) and an antibiotic resistant infection. All through that the tumor got too large to treat with radiation so now we are treating it with a different chemo to shrink it so that it can be irradiated also. Enough doom and gloom though ( plenty of that to go around stay strong cry if u need to when you get a minute to yourself ) this chemo is shrinking the cancer so I'll just take what I can get.

 

My husband was also diagnosed with stage lV in March at the age of 50. We are on our 27th treatment. 2 Cisplatins already-the third is in a week. His neck is begining to peel-be diligent with the lotion. He is now using only the PEG tube--make sure you practice with it before it becomes critical-We had to play around with a lot of formulas (Jevity just made him throw up) I understand your pain and sadness.

hello there. I am an only child married with 3 small children ages 4 ,2 and 8 months. My father age 50 just got diagnosed with stage 4 laryngeal cancer on thursday. I am so scared. He does not have a drivers liscense and i am the only who can take him to his dr. the dr is 4 hours away. I dont know anyone here so i am toting all 3 children with me each time we have to make this trip, as my husband works on a farm and i cant ask him to take off work. I am feeling guilty as I want to help my father more and then I feel bad if im not spending enough time with my children and husband. My father promises im doing enough but i still feel so helpless. I would love it if you could give me some tips on how to cope with this.

we have to meet with the radiation dr. on the 16th. met with the chemo one already. my father is scared. me too but i try to not show it for his sake. He will have 9 weeks of chemo and i think 7 weeks of radiation 5 x a week.