Unlocking the Secrets to Effective Cancer Treatment Preparation
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- čas přidán 4. 08. 2024
- In this video, we're going to discuss how you can prepare for your cancer treatments. We'll discuss topics like understanding your cancer, knowing your treatment options, and making a treatment plan.
If you're currently receiving cancer treatment, or you're worried about receiving treatment in the future, then this video is for you! We'll discuss how you can prepare for your treatments and ensure a positive experience. Thanks for watching!
Thank you Lee for that video. I just finished my first week of treatment. Everything in that video that you mentioned about preparation I’ve been doing right along before I started treatment. I went to see a therapist. I’m doing the swallowing exercises fluoride trays daily trying to exercise and walk and eat healthy. The only issue I’m having right now is constipation. I did have the peg tube put in the week before I started treatment I think it’s gonna be a good thing to have. I have HPV 16 squamous cell carcinoma. The right tonsil is the primary with multiple masses on the right side. They are giving me an 80 to 90% chance of recovery. Thanks for everything that you do Lee.
Wow, Thanks for the kind words Jacquesthier! Talk to your gastroenterologist about the constipation. That can cause a HUGE amount of discomfort, and you are already going to have enough of that. I was using Movicol daily on my doctor's direction, and that kind of helped. Fleet definitely helped, but I was only to use that if everything was really bound up. Good luck in your treatments and recovery! Sounds like you have a great plan going there!
Lee
I wholeheartedly agree that preparation helps to lessen anxiety. I really appreciate your videos.
Another great video Lee. Very informative. It is great that you mentioned being stubborn, as you learned, you, myself and others are not as tough as they think they are. Your informative video has great value. Hopefully others can gain knowledge and strength through your message and not just for cancer. There are a lot of other issues that effect us that we are not prepared for or are procrastinating about. My doctor keeps pushing the 50 and above colon exam. I need to get that done. Thanks again Lee for the great video. Keep'em coming!
Wow thanks Chad. My advice is (well now it is) if it doesn't feel right, look, right etc. get it checked. I went to see my cardiologist before I had any serious issues so if anything come from the high blood pressure, then we are able to catch it early. Pass the links to people you know, who knows, someone else may find a helpful hint! Thanks again buddy!
Hi, my name is Karen. I watched your video a couple of times. Now, here I am again. I want to thank you for it. I start radiation in 2 days. Weeks. I had the front half of my tongue removed and reconstructed about 7 weeks ago. It seems like yesterday. At first, there was no way I ws going to subject myself with any more. I've had it. But I had to get real. There is a better than 50% chance it could come back. So, as a matter of fact, I've had three surgeries. The second doctor knew he left positive 8:30 for some reason he didn't tell me. At that time ( I was self pay) I think he thought he wouldn't get payed. Same with the oncologist who would not treat me. Even though I had a payment plan. I have since acquired good insurance. If only he would have told me I could now eat. Sorry I got off track. I am so very frightening. The worst part is the thought that I may no be able to swallow. Is that a big deal. I am a 63 year old young female, strong-willed and scared. I know God is with me. Oh it is June 6th, 2023. I will keep watching you and grabbing onto every word. How bad does it get? How long after treatment
do you start to get better? You sound and look great. The radiation will be directed at my tongue ond jawbone. Are you still helping people get through this nightmare? Thank you again so very much. I hope I can help someone else someday.
Hi Karen,
I am absolutely still committed to helping people get through this. I was unable to swallow starting about 3 weeks into treatment through about 3-4 weeks after treatment. Experiences will be different depending on radiation type, amount etc. There are others here on the channel who had only slight difficulty with swallowing and others who really had horrible side effects. If your doctor agrees or suggests it, I would definitely recommend the PEG tube to keep your nutrition up.
I won't lie to you, it is difficult and it does get worse before it gets better. The three weeks after treatment were the absolute worst. However, you can do it. You can definitely recover from this and continue a long and happy life! PLEASE keep us informed on your progress! ALSO, reach out to others in the comment threads as well. I believe there are others who have had similar surgeries to yours.
Lee
Thank you. I so appreciate your videos. 'I have throat and neck cancer, the same as you. I'm four weeks out of cancer treatment. I have gone through and experienced everything you talked about. It's good to know that the feelings I've had are normal. I have been I guess a little stubborn also. Lesson learned! Thank you for all the info you have shared about your experience with cancer.
I think it is astonishing the number of people who have had throat cancer and we all seem to have had the same issues! I'm glad if the info you have found has been useful. Please feel free to share to your doctor's etc.
Lee
Thank you with all of my heart
You are so welcome Donna!
Good info, Lee!
Glad it was helpful!
Ty. I am going through this journey. Your videos help.
I hate that you are going through this, but I'm glad you are getting some help from my experience! How far along are you in the treatment/diagnosis?
Lee
Again thank you so very much for doing this video. I am getting ready to go through all if this myself starting next week. 5 months ago I had a partial tongue removal for cancer. I chose not to do radiation at that time. I was so weak from now being able to eat because prior to that, I was in so much pain from the tumor under my tongue. It took nine months to finally get the surgery. I had to wait so long in between doctors' appointments. Three days ago, my surgeon told me that I needed all of my tongue removed. I told her I would not do that. So next week I will go before the treatment team to decide what they can do for me. It's probably going to be radiation and chemo. Your videos are the best. I feel that I can be more prepared for what I have to do. God bless you.
High Donna,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such kind words in what is a very difficult time, to put it mildly. You definitely have had a struggle and sounds like even more of a struggle ahead. Keep us informed on your progress and diagnosis.
Lee
Had a big chunk taken out of the base of my tongue a week ago along with the lymph nodes on the side of my neck. I can't eat a lot without oxycodone which has also helped stabilized my weight. I hope next week is better because this sucks. I was 100% healthy before this.
Hey Dan,
I have heard that the tongue heals quickly, so hopefully you will recover soon. And you are correct, this sucks. Nothing about this is pleasant, no matter which treatment option you go through. We hope to hear back from you about some improvement.
Lee
Hi Lee - Hope your doing well after all youve been through. Ive just been diagnosed with throat cancer and really appreciate what you've posted - im starting 3 chemo and 6 weeks of radiotherapy on 22 Aug along with a PEG fitted and finding the buildup to it all really challenging especially as the suns out, lifes been going good and im otherwise physically fit. thanks again and heres looking to the otherside cheers James
Hi James - I'm really sorry to hear about the diagnosis. Thank you for the kind words, I do hope that there is a nugget in my ramblings somewhere that give you a lift, a tip, or even a laugh. For sure there are some tough times ahead, but there is an end to it. It sounds like you really caught it early and have a solid treatment plan in place. My advice is: stay active as long as you can, If you are tired, nap, stock up on a good read and some truly great/awful kung fu movies, and start using the tube as soon as you can. Keep us informed of your progress and if you need anything at all, please let me know!
Lee
@@theregularguy141 Lee - Hurray I'm into week two - Watched your video again and made me feel better thanks (acurate to what im going through) - Chemo and radio are doing their thing - I found the Rig got me down at first but sure its a good decision to help focus on the recovery speed - Staying outdoors and thinking about anything other than me seems to help - role on end of week two - Cheers James
@@jamesblank6221 Hey James,
Great to hear that the videos are helping. You will soon be closing in on the halfway point and its all downhill from there. Keep your chin up and stay nourished, hydrated, and positive! Wich, it sounds like you are. Keep us all informed on your progress going forward, we are pulling for you.
Lee
Thanks for the latest video - I’m week 8 or 2 weeks out of y wk treatment and finding each day getting better than the last - getting a good nights sleep is the key focus for this week and so far going well as long as I get the pain killers timed right - everything still going through the peg and also lost speech so week 3 is time to deal with some of those - all the best and keep posting cheers James
Not everyone is a good candidate for chemo/radiation. If your in otherwise good health and robust you probably will do fine and make it thru. HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT to address the good with the bad. Sometimes chemo /radiation burns your internal organs and people do pass away from complications from treatments. In some cases, as in my mom’s case she was stage IV lung cancer but at 87 pounds she collapsed and the drs decided to stop treatments and she passed Dec 18, 2002.
Hi Crafty,
That is an absolute fact! Not everyone is a suitable candidate. However there are new developments coming out every year regarding cancer treatment. What was a certain death sentence 10 years ago is now treatable.
Lee
@@theregularguy141 thank God for cancer research!
Hi Lee, what stage was your cancer? Mine was stage 4, I wish I had all this knowledge before I got my cancer diagnosis. Thanks for telling everyone all this information Lee 😊
Hi Annette,
I believe I was stage 2a (?). Im not sure if that designation is 100% correct. Left tonsil and then 1 or 2 lymph nodes.
Lee
Hi Lee, congrats on your recovery. My name is Jon I just finished chemo/radiation left tonsil with one node. I am currently 9 weeks post treatment. I still one on going sore on the same side as the cancer. I am still so tired and my mouth/throat feels like it's taking forever to heal. I have a question? How were you feeling at 9weeks post Treatment? Thank you for your videos. Jon
Hi Jon,
Glad to hear you have finished treatments. My treatments were 7 chemo and 35 radiation, left tonsil and 2 nodes. My treatment ended on 9 SEP 2021 and that puts my 9 -10 week mark into November. I will admit that at that point in my recovery, I felt like I would never eat normal food again. Eating and swallowing was painful and I'm pretty sure that anything solid may have still been out of the question. I was highly motivated to try to eat even small amounts as my daughter was coming to visit for Thanksgiving and I was NOT going to sit around sipping water while she and my wife ate at the restaurants and Thanksgiving dinner! The main thing I do remember was that I ate only very small amounts, mostly vanilla food replacement shakes, yoghurt, thin soups or broths. Of course, coughing and gagging the whole time. In a round about answer, I was certainly not "feeling" like it was getting easier at 9 weeks. According to my gastroenterologist, the throat is much like every other muscle, it becomes "lazy" when it's not used. Combine that with the trauma, it's no wonder it takes a good bit of time to recover.
Thank you for watching! I look forward to these questions and PLEASE keep us informed about your progress as you get along.
Lee
Hello, regular guy, I am getting very desperate. I went to my surgeon yesterday. I need the front part of my tongue removed and a new made from my arm muscles. Anyway this cancer is growing very fast. She told me that she can't do the surgeon until May. I have been on my phone trying g to find someone that can before then. My insurance will only cover in state. That's NC.
Hi Donna,
I know it seems like the process is moving like frozen molasses. I felt the same way. I know with me it took almost 4 months from diagnosis to starting treatment. (I was told that was quick..?) It seemed like every step was 1-3 weeks apart. Some delays were due to hospital equipment availability and some were insurance hold ups as they reviewed my case. Unfortunately it is a slow process with the different scans, blood tests, etc. My advice is to the stay the course and if you are happy with your doctor, stick with her. Unfortunately I have no idea how to speed up the process. It seems to me that can only be accomplished by your doctors.
Lee
I am in the beginning of diagnosis. Went to ENT, had 1 CT scan, and Endoscopy. Left tonsil assymetrical and enlarged lymph gland next to it. Going for another CT scan in two weeks and then back to doctor. Lee, did they remove your tonsil before treatment? I don't know if I am up to all this.
Hi GeriJ,
You are very much up for all of this. It is difficult, it is painful, and it is bothersome. HOWEVER, it is doable. You can do it by keeping a solid positive attitude, by leaning on friends and or family, by finding and enlisting the help of support groups, and following medical advice and instructions. (The following advice was hard for me, I'm hard headed...)
In answer to your question, they did not take my tonsils out. If I remember correctly due to the margins required for surgical resection of the tonsil and tonsil mass, it would have caused a lot more physical damage. Now, that being said, they have made some spectacular advances with TORS surgery in regards to head and neck cancers.
Keep us updated with you progress.
Lee
@@theregularguy141 Thank you Lee!