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Meet others living with Head & Neck Cancer: Introduce yourself
Welcome to the Head and Neck Cancer group.
This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet other people who are living with head and neck cancer. Let’s learn from each other and share experiences from diagnosis through treatment and coping with symptoms and recovery challenges.
As you know, head and neck cancer is the general term for a broad group of cancers that begin in the head and neck region. This include oropharyngeal cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, lip and oral cavity cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer, salivary gland cancer, squamous cell neck cancer or ameloblastoma.
Let’s get to know one another. Why not start by introducing yourself? What type of cancer have you been diagnosed with?
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@texashummingbird
Because
1) my tumor never secreted hormones,
2) was benign,
3) was removed w good margins,
4) has been no metastasis,
5) incision has healed beautifully in natural crease on side of my neck
6) labs are fantastic..
I was seen post-op 3 mos after surgery (last
mo) and pronounced by Neurosurgery as ha ing to not have to return for followups. ENT dept said likewise, however, the vagus nerve seems to be throwing a prolonged tantrum. After Day 1 surgery w installation of coil, I have felt what feels like a wad of misplaced wet gauze in my throat. Very annoying; causes occasional cough, gag, choking when swallowing (or over not swallowing). A throat scoping was done last month and showed no obstruction of any kind. They called the vagus nerve 'The Brat' and said this sensation could persist for quite awhile. I hope not. Dr. Moore said that after the operation, the vagus nerve was undamaged. I am to send an 8-wk update of how things are doing, end of this month. Nothing has changed and its been 6 wks. Also, got a surprise 3 wks post-surgery, when I raised my voice hollering a msg to my husband outside up in the garden, where my voice completely went silent! Have been careful to be gentle w my voice, but occasional raspy voice still occurs.
I understand COMPLETELY your fear. It hit me the same way when 1st diagnosed. Then was compounded when my triage team unanimously felt my tumor was benign, and something else was causing my plethora of symptoms. A full body CT was done, which revealed 2 tumors on my left kidney. The carotid tumor was put on a back burner, kidney tumors removed last yr Oct, and I still have 90% of that kidney which is functioning normally!
The fear of the unknown can wind a person up pretty fast. My surgeons and my husband did wonderfully at talking me down off the cliff. My husband reminded me I'm going to the best place on the planet for this.
Hello @gangcarotid1
What a Blessing you are to me at this nervous time! Almost feels like I was back at the CRC at Vanderbilt with my Mom and her Pituitary Tumor / Cushing’s Disease for months on end during early 1992, very scary time! We ended up at Mayo with Dr. Paul Carpenter, Endo and Dr. David Piepgras and Dr. David Dudley, all amazing and wonderful!! This was back in the day, when my Mom’s Endocrinologists in Oklahoma and even Dallas, would go through their entire career without ever having a Pituitary / Cushing’s Disease patient!
Do you live close to Rochester?
Do you have a local Endocrinologist or Internist that follows you there at home?
Hugs and prayers for your well being, and thank you again from the bottom of my heart!
@texashummingbird
No, we live in the remote "hinterland" of very rural northern Idaho. We fly to and from Mayo for appts.
No endocrinologist available. Have a physician's assistant who specializes in nephrology if I need to see her. So far, going often enough to Mayo there hasn't been a need.
@gangcarotid1
Good evening, Thank you so much for your assistance! We live in a farming community of around 12,000 in south Texas, 30 miles from the Gulf. Anxious to get started, will talk to Mayo again on Monday by phone. Sending hugs 😊 and prayers 🙏 to you!