tigertk62's Journey with Head & Neck/Throat Cancer
Patient: Head & Neck/Throat Cancer
Patient Info: Currently in active treatment (initial surgery, receiving chemo rounds/radiation), Diagnosed: over 9 years ago, Female, Age: 59
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Procedure: Drag this icon to show a procedure.
Radiation: Drag this icon to show a specific radiation therapy experience.
Drug Therapy: Drag this icon to show a specific drug therapy experience.
Clinical Trial: Drag this icon to show a clinical trial experience.
Side Effect: Drag this icon to show experience with a specific side effect.
Oh No: Drag this icon to show when something bad happened (e.g., cancer’s back, lost job).
Celebration: Drag this icon to show when something good happened (e.g., last treatment, hair is back).
Loss: Drag this icon to show a time of loss (e.g., lost hair, lost loved one).
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Diagnosed
Oh No
After almost two years of "allergy" symptoms and increasing headaches, a trip to the ENT revealed a squamous cell, cancerous tumor that had destroyed my nasal septum.
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
My incredibly talented ENT surgeon was able to remove the tumor (5.7x1.2x1.7), the cribriform plate and attached dura,(repair the dura),and get clean margins in one procedure! The secondary open crainotomy planned for the following week was no longer necessary, because the ENT was able to do the complete removal and repair by endoscopy.
Body part/function
Loss
I will not be able to smell anything, ever :( Taste is limited to sweet, salty, bitter and sour. Luckily, I have a good imagination, and "remember" what lots of things smell and taste like. Still, it is a bit distressing.
Other
Celebration
No need for crainotomy!
External radiation
Radiation
Proton therapy. Much better than "regular" radiation, but was not fun. Completed in March 2011.
Other
Side Effects
mouth sores, blisters and weeping of eyes and residual lymphadema.
Finished treatment
Celebration
This person has yet to add any details about this experience.
clear scans and my birthday in June
Celebration
clear scans in June! Tear duct seems to be opening up on it's own. "saddling" seems to be stable
PT
Other Care
PT for facial lymphedema~m uch better