Husband diagnosed with oropharyngeal Cancer

Hi 

I'm really sorry you have found yourself here, like you my husband has been diagnosed with osephegeal cancer, he is 55. He had a camera on the 29th Sept which picked a tumour up, they said they thought it was that, but needed to do further test, they had taken 6 biopsies when doing the camera and he went for CT the Sunday after. We got the results Fri just gone, it is cancer, but they hadn't staged it, he's had to have more test, PET Ct scan on Tuesday, MRI later this morning and Ultrasound camera down next Wednesday. Just in limbo at the moment as we don't have a treatment plan as such, chemo, op and then more chemo has been mentioned, but no timescale or stage of cancer until earliest end of next week. Its hard not knowing what we're dealing with  

I guess everyone is different and their cancer is at different stages and in different places, which will determine the treatment plan, niavely we thought couple of weeks chemo, op and then couple of weeks chemo, be done by Xmas, reading the book the nurses gave us last week and from what they were saying, it's going to be a long journey. But we are ready for the fight of our lives! 

Hope you get some answers soon, can start treatment and all goes well. 

Vikki xx

1. Hi, my husband was diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer 2 years ago, the week we went in to lockdown, aged 56 and HPV positive. He had intensive treatment of daily radiotherapy for 6 weeks and once weekly chemo. His tumour was affecting breathing, swallowing and his tongue. At the time I felt quite helpless although he said all he needed was for me to be near. Due to lockdown I was able to work from home and was able to drive him daily to treatment. He slept a lot, the treatment really takes it out of you. He was fitted with a tube to the stomach for feeding whilst his throat/tongue received treatment.
2. Everyone's journey is different and I'm happy to answer any specific questions.
3. Good luck on your journey x 

My husband 43 has just been diagnosed with rectal cancer with lung mets. We have young children too and both work full time. I have no idea what will happen or how much help he will need we have our surgery date. I don't want to lose my job. I have recently found there is unpaid parental leave you are allowed to take for each child. I'm thinking once I've used up annual leave I'm going to request that. You can have up to 18 weeks. I have read Deborah James book as well she is quite honest about what the cycles of radiotherapy are like. She had to give up work I think my husband will eventually.