← Return to Meet others living with Head & Neck Cancer: Introduce yourself

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@hrhwilliam

Hello @judyrichter Welcome to the Head and Neck Cancer group. If you have a question you can begin a new discussion or hop on an existing discussion. If you have a comment on another discussion just feel free to jump in. We are simply patients helping patients. Those of us who have been down the long road can often help those who are just beginning the journey. The doctors, unless they have actually had cancer, can only answer second hand if at all to issues we go through.
Personally I would rather belong to a church choir than a cancer group but alas cancer has taken my voice somewhat, so I play the cards I've been delt and there we are.
Are you new to this cancer?

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Replies to "Hello @judyrichter Welcome to the Head and Neck Cancer group. If you have a question you..."

William, thank you for the welcome. I began part of my story in 2002, when my dentist noticed “something” . Well after a biopsy they discovered cancer. Never smoked a day in my life, but there it was, second hand smoke cancer. After removing most of my left jawbone, I was considered “cancer free.” Yea, right! Went to my dentist, oncologist, and oral surgeon every two months or so, regularly. Thru the years they removed many suspicious spots. Twenty years later, my oral surgeon, on word from oncologist, did another biopsy on my right side. Did not show any signs of cancer. However my surgeon notice the left side of my cheek to be suspicious and did a biopsy. Stage IVa soft tissue cancer, fast moving new type of cancer. My surgeon, referred me to a younger surgeon, new oncologist, new plan. My doctors said I need newer, younger, specialist. Well, I got them. Lucky enough to live close enough to the Sammons Cancer in Dallas. Am going there now. Have had surgery, 32 rounds of radiation (horrible), and over 50 chemos. While under going radiation and chemo, the cancer come back in my head. They had warned us it could. My Oncologist began chemo, chemo and Key Truda. Key Truda was every third week. Now present day, I told my doctor I wanted to stop my chemo. He said after two clear scans I could and continue with Key Truda every 3 weeks. He said they didn’t know if it was the chemo or Key Truda that said bye to cancer. So right now, I’ve had my first scan since being off. Chemo and it still “cancer free”. I will continue as is until…. Just glad to finally find people like me. Fighting to live.