Head and Neck cancer-Tumours gone

[Joolz]

Hubby had the results of his CT scans this week.  7 weeks post treatment for advanced Tonsil cancer and lymph nodes. 

The tumours are GONE! We are cautiously optimistic. 
In 6 weeks he will have another PET scan to make sure there is no “activity” anywhere.  
He is doing so much better, physically and mentally now. Three weeks ago he hit rock bottom. Very depressed, couldn’t eat, the feeding tube had been removed and he felt under pressure to start eating.  He felt things weren’t moving fast enough in his recovery. I tried to reassure him he was doing well but couldn’t convince him. 
After a phone call to the Cancer council nurse, who suggested he visit his oncologist, he was referred to  a psychologist and dietician for an appointment. They really helped and he’s feeling like he is making progress. He’s eating a little more, mashed foods etc and still on Fortisip nutritional drinks. We’ll be having a quiet Christmas this year but grateful we’ve had some positive news to end what has been a very stressful 5 months. 

[Azjoetrucker]

Joolz...

    That is fantastic news to hear!

I can sympathise with him and his moods given the immense amount of baggage we carry from the treatments...and some of us can't help but burden our loved ones at what seems the edge of hopelessness.

   I'm glad to hear you folks got the best christmas present ever-a Cancer Free outlook!

   Cheers,

   Joe Aristy

[Joolz]

Thanks so much for your reply. 
it is indeed good news yet life is not without its challenges still. 
I managed to convince him to get out of the house today and go to the movies. Something we haven’t done for a long while.  He could choose, no chick flicks! 
That went ok, but after the movie it was dinner time and the anxiety began. 
He’s at a loss to know what to try to eat as it’s still difficult. He has a fear of eating in public in case he chokes or vomits. He then feels guilty we can’t eat out  as he thinks he’s holding me back. 
We came home and I made dinner, had to vitamize his, he was a bit upset and thinks I don’t understand what he’s going through. I’m trying to.....

[Azjoetrucker]

Joolz...

   I can really relate to what he is going thru with eating out!   Rest assured that it simply takes time and a lot of experimenting at home before one can develop the confidence to attempt eating around others...but, yes!  One gets there.

   For my part I had my sweetheart (my wife will always be "sweetheart") bring takeout food from some of our local restaurants to eat at home.  Oh there were the disasters...but also the successes that taught me what I could eat (or figure out what fluid made it possible for me to eat it).

   I can tell you for months there I was even embarrassed to eat at the dinner table with family-the chocking, the painful swallows, 'going down the wrong way' or even the simple inability to get it past the throat...but yes by around the 5th month for me I felt comfortable eating out at some restaurants.

    Please do keep in mind that I practiced, practiced and practiced swallowing exercises-which comes in handy dealing with difficult occurrences.

    Do try ordering in, though...it really helped getting back to the social scene.

   Cheers,

  Joe Aristy

[Azjoetrucker]

Joolz...

  It occurred to me that one detail that i had to fight learning to eat:  it seem that since my taste buds were slowly coming back on line, my taste for food seem to change from day to day.  Frustrating...

   More frustrating and something I had to always bear in mind...was the avoiding food that became "The Enemy" during the early days.  I forced myself to try those foods...and some actually became enjoyable once again.

    Thank God this time around I am avoiding chemo/rad and so far haven't had to deal with those side effects...but using the Order Takeout, sampling and resampling old favorites and swallowing exercises are slowly making recovery possible...

Cheers, Joe

[Joolz]

Joe, 

Thanks so much for your reply, yes that all sounds familiar and great advice. I've been trying to encourage him to join the forum but baby steps, at least he lets me read out the replies and also some of the other posts.  He didn't want to know about it before. I think he felt he could only deal with what he was going through without hearing others struggles. 

So you have your 2nd bout of cancer? Is that right?

Not what anyone wants. 

Glad you have your wife to help you through. She sounds a sweetheart.