Expat Brit currently being treated overseas...my HPV journey

  • Approaching 3 years post treatment: Focusing on challenging myself

    FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Have been away for rather a while and inevitably lost touch with a number of contacts on the site, as life has returned to a degree of normal (see below!).

    In a month's time, I will be 3 years post-treatment for HNC (primary was left tonsil and secondaries in neck). Have had clear scans since, but for some time I have had discomfort around the surgical site. I have put this down to the fairly constant mucus issue and…

  • Approaching 2.5 years post treatment: PET CT and blood results

    FormerMember
    FormerMember

    I have been away from the Online Community for some time as my new normal and work commitments have been such that I have been focused on those positive developments.

    I have recently had a PET CT Scan to check progress since my last one (March 2019). Delighted to report that all was clear. My blood test results were also great...until I turned to the final page which dealt with the CEA and CA19-9 readings. They were above…

  • Just over 2 years post-surgery

    FormerMember
    FormerMember

    I have been away from the Online Community for a little while (albeit checking in from time to time). I think it is a natural result as day-to-day life becomes a little busier than when we were dealing with the grind of treatment or the immediate aftermath and recovery. I have seen some upsetting stories in recent days and my thoughts inevitably turn to those who I am in contact with on here and whose narrative I have…

  • First PET CT scan since August 2017.

    FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Last week I had my first PET CT since the end of my chemoradiotherapy. I had previously only had one PET CT (August) 2017 before my major surgery. The surgeon felt that it was not necessary to hit me with more radiation if avoidable. My previous MRI and Ultrasound had come back clear, but as I was now 19 months on fro the first PET CT, I thought it was a good time to get some baseline of where I am at; not least because…

  • 1 year and 2 months on from last treatment

    FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Last week I had a 12 month(ish) follow-up with the Radiotherapy Oncologist. I last saw her in Jan 2018, 2 months after my last radiotherapy session (chemo had finished a couple of days earlier). In the interim of course I had an MRI and an ultrasound.

    The appointment confirmed that all is well; the mouth has healed very well (both from surgery and the radiation); saliva production may improve further over next 12 months…