Getting to know you.

Hello to everyone, just looking through some of the comments it is clear to see that you are all a very supportive and friendly lot, so if I can contribute at all, it would be an honor to help. I was diagnosed with scalp cancer in February this year after about 9 months of being treated with various creams. I have since had five operations to remove SSC's and had a course of radio therapy.

I have recently been told that there is a tumor behind the saliva gland and have no idea what that means at the moment, although I have an appointment with a consultant tomorrow, so no doubt all will be reveled.

I have no complaints about my treatment, as all has been fairly quick after the lumps turned up, the only down side is that I was told that this particular cancer would be easily treated and cured, but of course I had to be special, which of course I know I am not.

A personal thing is that I was always pleased with my hair and while thin it was a full head, now, as I told my Daughter I look like a mangy badger, which at least gave her a smile. I know nothing can be done, but it is still one of life's disappointment, but I know a very small problem compared to many other on the site.

So as a closing comment, I will wish you all good luck with your treatments and prognosis and while it is not the sort of club anyone wants to belong to it's great to be part of this supportive network.

 

  • Welcome to the club noone wants to be in but we find ourself here , it's very supportive and full of very knowledgeable and helpful people.  No question is too silly and everyone has a different experience to tell . A very warm welcome from me . 

  • Hi Bill welcome. 
    Do stay with us and let us know how your appointment goes. Good to see you joining in. We are a helpful bunch here. Good luck. 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. Out of radiotherapy January 2019

    Blog about my cancer. 

    https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com 

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

    Community Champion badge
  • Welcome Bill from me too… we are all here to help… the best of luck Fingers crossed 

    marta x

  • Hi Bill welcome from me to the club no one wants to join but here we are. Good luck with tomorrow and when you feel up to it update your message. You can also update your  profile by clicking in your name. I suppose one question to ask is are the cancers.separate  or is the salivary gland connected to yiur SCC scalp ones I don’t know if that’s feasible or 2 separate cancers entirely. 
    Bestvwishes Hazel 

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now 5 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help  

  • Welcome, and good luck!

    Mike 

  • 19th November 2023.

    First of all I would like to thank all of you who have welcomed me and given a few words of advice. I am still getting to grips with the workings of the site so forgive errors.

    Having read some of your experiences, I now have a equal mixture of total admiration and sheer terror, given what a lot of you have had to endure with your various treatments.

    The meeting with the specialist went okay although I have now been told there are a number of tumor's in the neck and not just one, the good news was they have not spread yet, so the next step is an MRI scan and a few more tests. I was told that there are a number of options depending on the outcome of the test, but the chap I saw was a surgeon and in his own words his solution was to cut every thing out, which would involve a weeks stay in hospital, but I am being invited to a multidisciplinary meeting once the results are back to discuss a way forward, which all sounded good.

    I still feel fine in myself, apart for the fatigue, but have a slight feeling of being the proverbial rabbit in headlights and feeling I need to get on and sort things out while I still can, but currently am feeling a little emotionally paralyzed, which of course I need to shake off.

    You have all said I can ask daft questions, so my first is, did anyone else suffer with spots after radiotherapy. I finished mine on 6th Oct and was told the effects could last for around 6 weeks, it's nothing serious, but its like being a teenager having facial spots again. I would have rather had the energy and stamina instead. Relaxed

    Best wishes to all.

  • Having read some of your experiences, I now have a equal mixture of total admiration and sheer terror, given what a lot of you have had to endure with your various treatments.

    Hi Bill. It’s because you don’t know enough about your own treatment. Honestly this is doable. It’s a few weeks out of your life plus some months of recovery to a new normal. 
    Spots? Maybe it’s the cream you are using? 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. Out of radiotherapy January 2019

    Blog about my cancer. 

    https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com 

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

    Community Champion badge
  • Hi Bill Can’t help,with spots sorry. I did get badly burnt on my neck but within a few weeks it had sorted itself out., the hospital gave me what I needed in form of polymem  bandages.. energy and stamina will return it just takes time .Be kind to yourself is my best advise. 
    give this a read it puts treatment into context

    https://www.workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf

    Hugs Hazel

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now 5 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help  

  • I got spots around the back of my neck. When I showed the nurse she said it was the E45 cream I used. I lived with them. Not sure yours are the same if they are on your face though?

    Mike 

  • i used aloe vera cream which i got from my nurse. I never got burned (i had 30 rt), so unfortunately can’t help. I would talk to your nurse, maybe change the cream?