Reality with June

Following the chemo, it was another radiotherapy session, with a follow up review with my specialist, June. 

The radiotherapy went as normal and I'm getting to know the routine well. Then I met Claire in reception and we both went through to see June. I like June; she is direct, compassionate, no-nonsense and human. I'm also glad that she is a professor, is an expert in my cancer, and is keeping a close eye on me. I don't use Google for anthing related to my journey. I only listen to my team of medical experts, and June is at the top. Whatever she says, go's, in my opinion.

Today was to go through my treatment plan, what they have found, and for some post-treatment, quality of life discussions.

So, it is curable. Great, now we are wanting to discuss from the scans, what we have found, where we are treating, and the impact this will have longer-term. 

Two tumours
There are two tumours in my neck, both roughly the same size, just over 6cm in length, shaped like pears. One is on MY right-side of neck, the other is in the centre at the base of the toungue, reaching down to just above my voicebox. The radiotherapy is designed to shrink them.

Saliva Glands
You don't know how important they are until you don't have them. We have four of these glands, two on each side of our face, and they are responsible for mouth health and hygeine, tooth protection, and eating. I will lose three of my four; there's no way to save them. They are, quite literally, in the firing line of the radition try to shrink the tumours. It means that I will have to put up with "dry-mouth" and will always need to carry water around with me. Not really the end of the world, is it. Thanks saliva glands for all you've done so far.

Voice box
The tumour in the centre of my neck reaches down to just above the voice box. Due to the margin of error on the radiotherapy, the top of my voicebox will receive treatment and be impacted. No, I don't lose my voice, but I will have a permantly husky voice. I understood this to mean more sexy. I suppose we will see.

Pre-emptive work
The CT scans, which are done before every radiotherapy session to ensure correct aiming have shown up another area of concern on the left side of my neck. While there is no evidence of cancer there, they are going to treat there so that I'm not potentially back in a few years having the same treatment again. So, no evidence of cancer, but an enlargement that MAY be a pre-curser, so yeah, let's nuke it. Probably didn't need that gland anyway!  

The weeks ahead (from week 3) are going to get tougher with radiation burns, loss of swallowing muscles and therefore a nasal feeding tube, and pain killers, but I am positive with all of this. Theses are the small things I will have to ensure to beat the cancer, and I bloody well will.

Oh, and add on all the symptoms from the chemo, and this is really starting to look like fun :)

#fuckcancer

Popular posts from this blog

Home again!!

Image
After nearly 4 weeks in hospital, it's time to go home! As one nurse quipped to me, "Hospital is where sick people go. Home is where sick people go to get better".  To those who visited, or helped Claire keep everything running at home while she juggled starting a new job and looking after pets and kids; thank you. It's so good to be home amongst familiar surroundings. As an added bonus, Formula 1 testing was on last night so it was great to put my feet up and watch F1 on the big screen :)
Read more

Week 8 - I'd rather forget it. Hallucinations and more.

Image
Week 8 since treatment started, and the first week with no treatment, is a week in my life I'd really rather forget. It turns out I developed Aspirated Pneumonia and Week 8 I was running a fever over 40 degrees, while dealing with the after effects of chemotherapy AND radiotherapy. In addition, I was on morphine injections and cocaine mouthwash for pain, and was sweating and hallucinating, whilst in a 4-bed room in a public hospital ward. The burns on my neck from radiotherapy were at there peak, so imagine what the burns were like on the inside of my neck! In addition, chemotherapy was smashing me for six. Seriously, I cannot imagine a worse week ever in my life. Claire battled with a SNAFU to get me transferred across to St. Vincent's Private Hospital and by Thursday evening I was transferred across to the private hospital. If you are reading this and don't have private health insurance; get it.  I don't have much of a recollection of this week other than frightening ...
Read more

Tumor shrinking, Greg not shrinking :)

Image
At my weekly meeting with my radiation oncologist, June, on Tuesday, she was on the lookout for tumor size in my neck and what they were up to. I have been able to noticeably see and feel the tumors reducing in size, and to quote her "tumor is shrinking, Greg's not shrinking, this is good". My weight is still holding stead (omg I am eating like a horse!) and the tumors are indeed shrinking; great news! This week is also when June walked through my upcoming chemotherapy and pain medication to allow me to continue eating as long as possible. I've been prescribed a solution to gargle, swish and swallow before eating to totally numb my throat for 15 minutes or so. This is to enable me to get food into me "normally" for as long as possible. The other drug is a type of liquid morphine derivative that I squirt into my mouth, swish around, then swallow. I'm to use this when panadol will no longer keep the pain at bay. Other than this, it's radiation therapy ...
Read more