January 2010
January marks twelve months since I underwent the knife twice, the first time to do some exploratory surgery to try and find the primary cancer site (which they still haven’t confirmed) and the second time to have a radical neck dissection to remove my lymph nodes on my neck (left side). To recap 12 months ago
On 08 January 2009 when the doctor rang with the test results from the FNA my life changed. The results showed cancerous tissue in the sample and the doctor advised he had pre-empted the phone call by booking me into see an Ear Nose and Throat specialist for 09 January 2009 who did an endoscopy, also referred to as a gastroscopy, which is a procedure which enables the doctor to see inside your oesophagus, stomach and duodenum, using a thin flexible tube, to detect any evidence of inflammation, ulcer or cancer.
The ENT specialist then gave me the news I was sort of expecting but not really ready to hear. I had a Squamous Cell Carcinoma and I would need to undergo a number of scans and tests over the next week to ascertain exactly where the primary cancer site was.
I suppose it would be a good time to explain that the lump in my neck was a secondary cancer and this is like a "cannon ball" shot from the primary site. Given that cancer cells usually head for the closest lymph node it is assumed that the primary site, in my case is in the head and / or neck.
The tests I needed to undertake were a CT scan, an OPG, a PET scan and some exploratory surgery to take some biopsies. The OPG & CT scans were conducted on the 12th of January 2009.
The PET scan was scheduled for 0830 on 13 January 2009 at QLD PET Services at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.
On Wednesday 14 January 2009 I was booked in by the ENT specialist to have some exploratory surgery to try to ascertain where the primary site was.
On Friday 16 January 2009 I attended the Head and Neck clinic at RBH
I was scheduled to go in for surgery on 22 January 2009 to have the radical neck dissection. A Radical Neck Dissection (I love this term) involves the removal of the cancer and associated lymphatic tissue in all levels of the neck (upper, mid and lower). To optimise the chances of completely removing the cancer, a radical neck dissection is often the best course of treatment.
As you can see from the synopsis above my January 2009 was a busy month, which in hindsight was a good thing as it gave be little time to reflect on the enormous journey I was about to embark on.
On 22 January 2010 (yep 1 year after the neck dissection) I attended another review with the Radiation Oncologist which went well. The Radiation Oncologist undertook his normal poking; prodding and sticking the endoscope down my throat (this time it went so far down I was almost pushed up off the chair if you get my drift). He now doesn’t want to see me until June 2010 but in the meantime I will have another PET scan around May.
Life has been good of late. H brought some chooks about a month ago and we have 12 of then running around the yard (6 chooks and 6 peckers) as well as two ducks that have come for a holiday. It is really good to sit back and watch them all scratch around the yard whilst H and I sit under a tree. It is good to relax like this, it can only be beneficial for me not to be rushing around.
That about it for this month, I will update you on my progress again next month although I have no reviews scheduled.
Take care and enjoy life.
February 2010
January marks twelve months since I started radiation and chemo treatment. Over the past month I have no real news of note. My health is still good and I look forward to my next review (03 Mar 10).
Until next month – take care and enjoy your health
March 2010
Over the past month I have no real news of note. My health is still good and I had a review on 03 Mar 10 which went down without a hitch. I am still getting a dry mouth (more so this month I think) which is annoying but I can live with it.
My next review is 12 May when I see my ENT then in June I have another PET scan and visit with the Radiation oncologist.
On a side note I was watching RPA on the television the other night and the particular episodes had the story about a gentleman who went in for an operation on his throat and he had a PEG installed. Long story short it leaked and he was close to death for a while. I am now glad (in hindsight) that I went down the track of not having one installed..
Until next month – take care and enjoy your health.
April/May 2010
Over the two month I have no real news of note. My health is still good and I had a review on 12 May 10 which went down without a hitch (as normal). The ENT has now pushed my appointments out a little further so my next one with him is 04 August.
The dry mouth is still annoying but I can live with it except that it seems to be affecting my gums as they seem to be shrinking. I don’t know if this is to do with my diet (to much caffeine carbonated soft drink) or it is actually the dry mouth that is causing it. I do use the gel and tooth mousse at night but the shrinkage continues.
Upcoming I have a PET scan (01 June) and visit with the Radiation oncologist (11 June) to find out the results.
Until next month – take care and enjoy your health
June 2010
Over the past month I have no real news of note. My health is still good and I had a PET scan review on 01 June 10 which went down without a hitch (as normal). My next appointment during June was to see the Radiation Oncologist on 11 June to have my regular check-up as well as getting the results from the PET Scan. My regular Radiation Oncologist was away and nobody thought to advise the Locum that there was a clinic on that day. I ended up sitting around for an hour to see the doctor (luckily for me I was the first one to go in). He did the usual things (poking and prodding wise) and gave me the “tick in the box”. When I asked about the results of the PET Scan he was a little surprised that I had had a second one so soon. He chased up the results and I was given the all clear on that front. My next visit with the Radiation Oncologist is in October 10.
Next month I take leave and go up to the U15 State Titles for Hockey as manager of the Brisbane U15-3 hockey side. We have a good team this year so I expect we will do well in Division 2 of the competition.
STOP PRESS: we won the Division 2 State Title after a hard fought win over Gladstone in the final. We went through the competition undefeated.
Until next month – take care and enjoy your health
July 2010
As for the last few reports my health has been pretty good. I had a bout of flu but I have (knock on wood) shaken that now.
I had my latest review yesterday (04 Aug 10) with the specialist and once again he was happy with my progress. I now don’t have to see him until 15 Dec 10 (I see the radiation oncologist on 22 Oct 10 for his next review) so I am pretty happy that all is going well. The specialist said he would be surprised if the cancer came back (but no guarantees as yet) and that early next year he would push the review period out to 3 monthly.
Hockey is also going well as we come to the “pointy end”. Both M & D were selected in the Brisbane U18 sides for the State championships in Sept and M goes off straight afterwards to NZ with the QLD U19 school boys side. D is off to Japan around the same time for a school trip and I am away managing the QLD U13 side
T and her partner have entered into buying a house and land on the Southside which we are all excited about.
Until next month – take care and enjoy your health
August 2010
As for the last few reports my health has been pretty good. I haven't really anything to report for the past month. I have been sleeping well (probably the cool nights) and within myself have been pretty good.
The only problem, which I have mentioned on numerous occassions is the old "zoo keepers boot mouth" - you know when your mouth feels like the bottom of a zoo keepers boot - which I wake up with every morning due to the dryness.
Another problem that seems to be raising its head is my teeth have lost their enamel sheen (probably due to no saliva to protect them at night). I see my dentist again in a week or so and will get the prognosis then. Apart from these two problems my mouth is fine.
Until next months report – take care and enjoy your health
October 2010
Firstly sorry for being a little slack but I really didn’t have much to report on - as for the last few reports my health has been pretty good.
I had my latest review on 22 October with the radiation oncologist and once again he was happy with my progress. I now don’t have to see him until March 2011 (I see the specialist in December his next review) so I am pretty happy that all is going well.
As I stated in my July both M & D were selected in the Brisbane U18 sides for the State championships in Sept and M went off straight afterwards to NZ with the QLD U19 school boys side – that tour went well and I think they only lost 2 or three games out of 10. D was off in Japan around the same time for a school trip which he loved.
T and her partner R are currently going through the hoops with buying a house and land on the Southside which is stressing them out.
When I saw my dentist last month he said there were no real problems with my teeth (although I felt there was). To be on the safe side and so as not to eat the enamel away completely I have given up the cafine based carbonated soft drink - I will see how long i can do this for
Until next month – take care and enjoy your health.
November/December 2010
Firstly sorry for being a little slack once again but I really didn’t have much to report on so I thought I would wait until after I visited the Specialist (15 Dec) before I put my jottings down - as usual for the last few reports my health has been pretty good.
I had my latest review on 15 Dec with the Specialist and once again he was happy with my progress. I now don’t have to see him until March 2011 (about the same time as I see the Radiation Oncologist) so I am pretty happy that all is going well.
The dry mouth is still ever present but I am now used to it so it is not that inconvenient really. All other aspects are going really well. I even had the opportunity at work to talk to another fellow traveller who has been diagnosed with a similar problem to what I had. He heads off to do the 7 or 8 weeks of chemo/radiation starting around 13 Dec so I wish him all the best.
Speaking of work with only a few days to go to Christmas things at both home and work are starting to get hectic. I plan to work whilst I allow my team some much needed time off but I am ever mindful of the mid-year budget cycle and review process and a change to the monthly project review reporting regime to be implemented early in the new year.
Until next month – take care and enjoy your health and of course MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your families.