I am john and have been here for a couple of weeks now, but did not have the energy or will to join.
i am a 47 old male nonsmoker with Stage III tonsil cancer
the story begins with an ear ache in Jan 08
My local dr gave a week of antibodicts then sent me to the ENT after no responce
the ENT took a biopes that came cack nonconclusive but worrsome so he wanted to do a tonsilectomy and send it to Sloan for biosy!!!!!!!!!
That threw me over the top My sister had died 22yrs earler at 21yr from breast cancer and I was crazy with fear. also I live in a beautiful place to vacation but not the greatest for medical.
thankfully i am three hrs from NYC so i did have options.
it has been one hell of a ride so far. I wnt in to Winthrope hospital in Mineola to another ENT dr Zelman and we where off:
He did a CT scan that day and we found a 3cm mass on the tonsil, then a fine needle biopsy of the lymph nodes on the right side, that was negative (great news!! i thought) so he says still not sure what it is he scheduals a surgical biopsy and maybe tonsilectomy to remove mass
well surgery goes well, the mass is cancer squamas cell caecenoma, can not be all removed because of location to cardic artery. he said that within 10 minutes of the start of suegery i was going to radiation treatments for my cancer.
i meet with Dr Haas of winthrope radiation and he sends me for a PET scan, the PET scan confirms the tonsil and puts a lymph node above suspitious, so I am sent to the medical oncoligist for chemo as well as radiation (so much for the negatvive needle biopsy)
I have had 35 radiation treatment 5x/wk and three sections of cysplatian, i have had a 2hr drive each way to get my radiation and on the chemo my wife and i have stayed over in Garden City. The chemo is very long 3hrs of hydration then 2hrs chemo and meds then 3 more hrs of hydration, with radiation on those days as well. the chemo is given 2days back to back.
i am in my last week of radiation and really running out of gas!!
starting to lose my voice, pain getting worse, but Perrcoct are helping a little there I have the Peg (what a life saver for me) so getting hydration and Jevity 1.5 for nutrition.
does your voice come back??
How long after last treatment till feel a little better?
sorry this is so fragmented
john