Ringing the bell

  • 10 replies
  • 84 subscribers
  • 225 views

Hello you lot!

what an inspiration you have been.  
I was diagnosed in February with a tumour at the base of my tongue and another in the lymph gland in my neck and have done the 6wks of radio and weekly chemo followed by an mri pet scan and cat scan.  
met the consultant yesterday and he tells me I’m all good. The earth didn’t move…..there was no uncontrollable smile. …just a reflective sigh of relief.

so I shook the man’s hand and left the room.  
in the corridor was the big brass bell so as I walked past I gave it a single strike ….it was surprisingly loud and rang seemingly throughout the head and neck dept causing everyone to stop and turn toward the bell.  
nurses arrived literally by the score to hug and congratulate me.   I was in bits and felt that the whole process had led me to this moment.    Quite profound.

im posting this to give others on the journey hope.   There is an ending….

as bad as the side effects are they do reduce little by little everyday.       Don’t give up! It was always going to be a fight.     You will win!!!

as a postscript I must say that the NHS has been faultless and macmillan have kept me going.  
I have no words to express my gratitude.   
be strong and you will get thru this.  
much love to you all

  • Hi Druid thank you so much for coming into the thread and sharing your positive and good news story. These kind of real life experiences are exactly what folk want to hear. Thank you so much for sharing and so glad that you got to ring the bell. X

    gail

     
    Community Champion Badge

  • Hi Gail.     It was the moment everything I had bottled up and hidden away suddenly arrived.    It was emotional to say the least!

  • Hi Druid 

    I had 6 weeks of chemoradio and yes it was hard work at times, when it finished I thanked the fantastic chemoradio teams... had a wee blether with them .. .then quietly left... declined the mask offered and never mentioned the bell, just grateful that the sessions were finished.   

    Things take time to improve, but improve they do, patients reading your post will certainly take heart from it.

    Peter 

  • Wonderful.. well done.. Relieved

    Loz (61)

    Oropharyngeal right tongue base T2N2bM0 squamous cell carcinoma p16 positive.. 

  • Let’s hope so Peter.    
    Im really not your usual kind of bell ringing type.    But I really wasn’t expecting the whole community “we’re in this together” thing.   But it’s so true.    We are all in this together.      Winners ,losers and everything in between.    

  • Hi Druid, what a great post, it shows people who are coming along after us, that although the treatment is hard it does give high rates of cure. I agree our NHS is wonderful, the treatment I had in 2017, couldn't have been better even if I'd paid for it. Rejoice in your all clear and have a great Christmas.

    Ray.

  • Thank you Ray.    

  • Lovely post. Glad you are doing so well 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I wrote a blog about my cancer. just click on the link below 

    https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com 

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

    Community Champion badge
  • That's such great news! Thank you for letting us know - it's lovely to hear

    September 2022 aged 63 diagnosed with HPV associated SCC base of tongue T4 N2 M0. Chemo & radiotherapy for 6 weeks ending Nov 2022. Oct 2024 nearly 2 years all clear. See my profile for longer story