The 5 Must-Have Tools for Beating Cancer!
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- čas přidán 5. 08. 2024
- In this video, we're going to teach you about MY 5 must-have tools for beating cancer! These tools will help you manage your cancer treatment and beat the side effects of your treatments.
If you're battling cancer, then you need to know about this. By learning about them, you can help improve your chances of beating cancer and enjoying a long, healthy life! Check out this video to learn more about my 5 must-have tools for beating cancer!
I subscribed to your channel before my treatment began. Like you, I had Squamous Cell Carcinoma on the tonsillar tissue. But, mine was at the base of my tongue - I had my tonsils removed when I was 10 years old. So, I was very surprised, when my doctor said my tumor was on tonsillar tissue, on the base of my tongue - I didn't know tonsillar tissue was also at the base of a human tongue. I had 7 weeks of chemo and radiation - one chemo a week and one radiation a day, each week. An initial PET scan, before my treatment started, indicated the cancer had spread into one nearby lymph node - but no where else. My tongue tumor was large, about the size of a lime: the lymph node was about the size of a quarter. So, my Oncologist staged me at stage 3 - because my tongue tumor was so large. It's now been about 7 weeks, since my last treatment. My Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor checked me, about three weeks ago, and said the tumor on my tongue is gone! Around August 1st, I’ll have another PET scan. Your advice really helped me before and during my treatments. Thank you! In closing, I want you and others reading this to know that my Lord and Savior, Jesus, brought me through my treatment, and I give Jesus all the glory for healing me. I pray you and others know Jesus as your personal savior! Again thank you for creating this channel! God Bless!
Hi.. can u tell ur symptoms... do u have any swelling?
No surgery?
Hi Terry,
I'm glad you are finding the channel helpful, and that is great news on being in remission!
Lee
I’m glad you’re doing well I have HPV associated tonsilar cancer but spread to lymph nodes with no mass at base of tongue. Indon35 sessions of proton radiation and like you weekly chemo. Have 2 chemo treatments left .
One of my biggest hurdles is the loss of taste. I’m just eating whatever I can tolerate to keep the weight up but thus far hasn’t been considerably bad as they thought, but I have about 15 more targeted radiations to go. I keep hearing that once the treatments in, that’s when things could get worse. But thank you for , your encouragement and hope. I wish you well.
Thank you for posting
You bet Eric! Thank you for watching. Was there any particular video that you found useful?
Lee
Good stuff. Thank you for laying it out and making it plain
Thanks Hope!!
I'm glad you found it helpful!
Lee
Thank you for this video. Getting ready to walk the path with my husband.
Hi Kathy,
It's a tough path, but achievable! What treatments will he be receiving and for how long? Good luck to your husband!
Lee
Next week we should hear from the surgeon and oncology team. It's been a slow and arduous process just getting a "cancer" diagnosis. We are looking forward to getting treatment started. The waiting has been torturous. @@theregularguy141
Great suggestions: I would add some reinforcement to PALLITIVE CARE. Make sure you let your team know if you are in pain. I was on 50mg Fentanyl patch prior to my treatment. I lowered the dose incrementally every 3-4 weeks. I was able to go through the entire treatment with ZERO pain. Even the leg and back pain (as well as menopausal symptoms) disappeared. I would also suggest to go to Physical Therapy at least once a week during treatment and afterwards. It was very strenuous but it was a much needed push. Get your peg tube right away if you are losing weight. This was a necessity for me since I lost 40 pounds in the months prior to treatment and was down to 104 pounds and wasting away rapidly. SLEEP often!!!! There was no option of working for me..... no way I could have done it. Keep your head warm.... having no hair was new to me and I didn't realize how my hair regulated my body temp. I loved gators for my head, you can wrap it around your wrist if you're not using it and always have it close by when you need it. You can buy really cute ones on Amazon.
If you have to travel to your treatment (I lived 90 miles away), ask your doctors to put you in touch with the hospital social worker. There are free and low cost services available for people who have to travel in. We stayed with friends for two weeks, had a free hotel room provided for one week (arranged through the social worker) and stayed at a really nice discounted furnished apartment for the remainder of the time (arranged through the social worker and a Methodist charity in the area for $200 per week, no need to be Methodist to apply or be approved).
Post treatment: Find a really good chiropractor once you've regained some of your weight and strength. Find a chiro that does intensive therapy 3 times a week for 12 weeks (mine was covered by insurance). This has improved my quality of life tremendously due to my nervous system being realigned to "fire" correctly. Also, if you are dealing with dry mouth (as I am), there is a product on Amazon by the brand "Allday" that is a miracle. It is a gel that you use as needed to keep your mouth moist so you can talk without dry mouth. ($14 for two tubes). Stay in touch with the Speech Therapist and have a swallow study done if you are having trouble swallowing. They can give you specific exercises to increase your swallow-ability.
FYI..... I am 9 months post-treatment. I am in full remission. I am visually scoped monthly by my local ENT doctor and have had a 100% clear PET scan and CT scan. The treatment phase is miserable, but it is beatable.
Additionally: if you know someone who is going through this (and everyone is different) be forewarned that they may not be able to talk on the phone, texting frequently is AWESOME!!! Emails, cards, and attaboys are most welcome and super appreciated.
Did you put weight??
You are so right Mindi! FYI I didn't even know the Palliative care team existed until about 3 weeks into treatment! LOL.. All great suggestions Mindi!!
Lee
@@mommystips9998 Yes, I've put on 18 lbs in 9 months. It isn't easy to gain weight. I have to drink 5 Equate high calorie drinks everyday to put on 2 lbs a month. I am still not eating much food, but I am trying. I am at a comfortable weight and my energy has increased dramatically!!!
Md Anderson?? R u getting treatment
Thank you so much for all of this advice, I’ll be starting radiation on Monday and of course I’m scared as heck😅 so I’m trying to over plan. I wish you peace.
Great video!
Thank you Susan!
Lee
I appreciate that you take the time to do these.
Thank you very much Pete! Thank you for watching the videos. Was there any particular video that you found useful?Lee
@@theregularguy141 All of them have things that are useful. I count down to the end of radiation and effects.
Hi Pete,
Have you finished treatments?
Lee
@@theregularguy141 Wow man thanks for asking. I have 8 more M-F sessions to go. Boost, oatmeal and soup. 👍
@@petewhite85 Great news! Getting close!
OMG, have just been diagnosed a few hours ago with tonsil cancer that has spread to neck lymph nodes. So glad I found your videos, am binge watching them. However, I had not considered at all that I may not be able to take my medications. My Epilim is like a bloody horse tablet (well, maybe not quite that large) - I am certainly going to have to ask about that one as I don't want my epilepsy to return.
Oh wow Kimt, DEFINITELY check on that. See if it is possible to grind it up and mix with some liquid to push in through the PEG tube. My blood sugar pill was of a good size. the upside to having a minimal appetite and not eating very much was my type 2 diabetes disappeared. Of course in my way i went straight back to eating bad stuff as soon as I could actually eat (mistake), so it has come back. BUT! I am fighting it off again, this time without the cancer diet cheat. Keep us updated with your progress, we are here for you, all of us!
Lee
@@theregularguy141 Hi Lee, the cancer nurse said that most drugs are also available in liquid forms for patients who cannot swallow. I have an appointment with my GP in a weeks tme to see what can be moved onto a liquid format if required.
@@kimt2au - Thats a great idea! A good example of getting everyone on your medical team involved. Great job!
Lee
Thanks for this. Started both chemo and radiation two days ago. Other than fatigue and a quick bout with diarrhea my complications are mild. I know that won’t last, but it’s an encouraging start. I’ve used all of your tools already and feel so ready. Thank you for your story. You’re helping so many I’m sure.
I'm glad the videos have helped you prepare. It's certainly not an easy road, but it is doable! Keep us updated on your progress.
Lee
Finished my treatment about 10 weeks ago stay strong it soon passes
That's great news Dean! Are you starting to see some major improvements? Any lingering issues?
Lee
To follow up, I finished my chemo and radiation 3 weeks ago. I was Stage II, HPV positive (which lowered the staging they told me). One lymph node fully involved, one what they called "influenced", so they zapped both of them and the ones on my other side for safety sake. Those last two weeks of treatment and the first after were, well, you know. Pretty unbearable. The radiation was bad enough but because the cisplatin affected my hearing, they switched the last chemo to include 5FU, which was horrific. Mouth sores, nausea. Ugh. I wanted to give up, but I didn't because of my family, because I had gone that far, and in part because your story let me know it WOULD get better. Well, in the three weeks since ending treatment (and after a G-tube infection) I can swallow normally, I can talk normally, and believe it or not most of my taste has returned. The area around my cancerous tonsil and that back part of the tongue still get angry if I overdo it, but every day that gets better. I'm still using my feeding tube but I'm down to 2 feeds a day and Ensure/food at other times. I went from 210 to 190 and have hovered there so thats good. I feel like I"m getting off easy compared to so many others, but then I realize no throat cancer recovery is ever easy, its just a matter of degree. Thank you Lee for your series of videos, they were instrumental in getting me through this and to the point in my recovery where I am. /Chris
Thank you for this video! I started my radiation today for laryngeal cancer, chemo starts tomorrow. I saw a speech therapist last week and did the barium swallowing test. She gave me several exercises for my tongue, swallowing and neck . Said I would have to do these exercises the rest of my life.. didn't realize there were so many exercises for your mouth and neck.. really nervous about this whole situation
Hi Carol,
I hope everything goes smoothly for you during your treatments. Definitely follow her directions as I found out (the hard way), that the more you back away or refrain from using those muscles, the more "lazy" they get and it's doubly hard to get them back to where they were. As far as being nervous, you are certainly not alone! I was certainly very nervous about every part of this. How many treatments will you have?
Lee
@theregularguy141 35 radiation and 7 chemo. Had my first round of chemo today and went well, another day of alot of information..
@@Carol-iu5us Sounds exactly like my treatments! Keep us updated on your progress.
Lee
You should try cancer treatment in the UK. Zero help, no transport to hospital, poor care and it is hell 😢
I am really sorry to hear that. I know there are several groups in the UK that provide support services for cancer patients. Try this link.
www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/support-directory/health-organisations#cancer
Lee
I heard there was a chemo shortage - do you know anything about that?
I looked that up when I read your comment as I had not heard anything about it. It seems that the lab in India, Intas, had issues with quality control with the US FDA that has resulted in them being unable to ship to the US. As I understand it, Intas and the FDA are currently working on certifying drugs already shipped to be quality checked and also working on getting the factory certified once more. This seems to only effect Cisplatin and Carboplatin, two of the most common chemo therapy drugs.
Scary Stuff
Lee
I heardmany tonsil cancer based on tongue.. Do u have surgery... how many months u r getting treatment
No surgery and it did not effect my tongue. My treatment lasted 7 weeks, just over 2 1/2 months.
Lee
@@theregularguy141ope r u clear
Free and clear for another year!
Lee
Did your tonsils larger one side?? And your tongue affected??
The left side tonsil had a lump on it, no problem with my tongue.
Lee
So far there is no complete cure for throat cancer
Hi Darwesh,
As far as I can find in my very limited research, there is no complete cures for any kind of cancer. The research continues, and thank you for watching!
Lee