Diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the soft palate. Radiation was given to the back of throat (my uvula is gone! *sob* kinda liked the guy), both lymphs and tonsil to eradicate any excess 'bad guys'. I have been treated 2X a day since Oct 24th. Total in all is 68 and I have 13 more to go.
They have this bell on the wall in the lobby (waiting room), to ring 3Xs to celebrate, I guess at the end of treatment. I'm having a hard time with seeing others so way worse than me struggling and don't feel worthy? Does that make sense? Granted, these 13 could be where I am the most miserable. I dunno..
I guess I've been waiting for the worst and either it's because I have a high tolerance for pain or I got lucky as I don't feel like a "cancer patient". Maybe the whole thing hasn't slapped me into reality? Thoughts?
Wow! .. Thank you all SO much for the replies! ~ Means a lot as I did find my post was a bit redundant after I found a few similar and an article after posting but couldn't see an option to remove it..
After this afternoon's treatment, I'll have 9 left out of 68 ending on next Thu 12/12.. (2x day - no wknds). I don't think I will ring the bell. I like the idea of post PET/tests before I know treatment is actually over. Weird how you need to wait 3mos before they can check to see...
Feeling thankful & grateful ~ Thanks guys!
Weird how you need to wait 3mos before they can check to see...
PET measures the amount of radioactive decay in a dose of radioactive tracer given intravenously. Cells that metabolise the sugar in the tracer take a lot of it in and show up as glowing spots on the scan. Cancer cells metabolise sugar fast as does the brain and the liver and also inflammation. RT causes a lot of inflammation so doing a PET early while there is still this inflammation will not give a useful result. So they have to wait til that has subsided
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Hi Happymonkie
Keep posting with updates....
Peter
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