Hello
Hello
My husband had a very large cancer tumour removed in started in the soft palet of his mouth. He went to a doctor in July of last year with a sore throat that wouldn't go away. By the time the sent him to the first inept Ears nose and throat doctor and screwed around because we didn't get his cat scans in his building. He done one thing for us right he sent us to Springfield MO. To a really good doc. But again with test and insurance and time not for us he didn't get to have his surgery till December 15. His surgery took 21 hours. But he has pulled thru. Got his teach out still has to eat with a feeding tube. As the reconstruction was massive. We found out if it hadn't been done within a month. It would have hit his personal cord. Now we get to start radiation therapy on the 16th of February. 33 treatments one a day Monday thru Friday. He is having nightmares. I am going to try to get us in some kind of support group while we are there. I try to get him to talk about what's going thru mind. He is only 59. His friends can't understand him very well. And they don't know what he is going through. I hope I am doing the right things. I have worked in the medical field,but not with this. The lack of communication or should I say the lack of explaining things to the patient.is so sad. You learn more on the web than you can from your doctor, shoot all they see is the disease. I am not saying they are all that. Way. I guess I. Just needed to talk. My husband is going to get tomothapy.
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Hi @mzsadie, thanks for sharing your experience. A support group might really be helpful for both of you and I hope that you are taking care of yourself through all of this too! Educating yourself is such a multi-step process. Good for you for taking the time to educate yourself, reach out to others and for being your husband's advocate!
I found it helpful to establish a way to contact my doctor, or someone on my healthcare team with questions after I left my appointment (some doctors let me email them, some referred me to someone on their nursing staff). Of course I never had questions until after I left the appointment.
Glad you reached out, you are not alone!!
Hi Kat, my husband finished his treatment in April 2013. He also had 35 rad treatments, together with chemo. I am so glad he has a feeding tube as it is so beneficial. There will be mouth and swallowing issues, but hey it will be well worth it. There are lots of people on this site who have also gone through the treatment, and their input will be invaluable. My motto always was and still is ONWARDS AND UPWARDS.
Thanks, I have heard about the rise of throat cancer I just have seen so much of it in the last few years. My husband was a hard core smoker for to many years for it not to happen but when it does it really effects everyone. Right now he says he will do the radiation but wont do the chemo. I told him its his body he is the only one that can make that kind of decision. I will honor that. If he changes his mind it will be his to do so. While he is in treatment they have a support group that he wants to go to. they have a couple of men that has went thru what he is going thru now. so great. You are right the feeding tube is great He just get frustrated he cant eat. Thanks for the reply. Its nice to talk to someone that can relate.
Thanks so much for the info. Going to get him into a support group. I am trying to take care of my self. which can be hard. your are right I try to write down the questions but getting the doctors to take time to answer them can be a problem sometimes. thanks for the reply