Hi Guys, so sorry I haven't got back to you before now, but I am afraid I got a big shock yesterday when I went back to the hospital to get the results of my lymph nodes. All the surgical and nursing team were so upset when the results found 2 lymph nodes had been affected which is now another ball game. They were all convinced I would be in the clear. Up until now I have been healing really well & feeling so upbeat about concentrating on getting better, but I will admit to you all that I was shaking like a leaf and feeling very light headed and jelly-legged when I got the news. There was so much discussion then about what happens next that I felt overwhelmed by it all.
Anyway, in a nutshell I have to have 6 and a half weeks of radiotherapy with 2 sessions of chemotherapy slung in for good luck. I won't bore you with all the side effects of these two treatments, butI will say that is going to be a bigger challenge than the operation itself, and please, I will need you all again to helpme through this. I will probably be starting my treatment in about 4 weeks time and will have to travel 20 miles to St. James' Hospital in Leeds (known as Jimmy's) Mon to Friday for 6 and a half weeks. I don't know if you will want me to keep posting on here, perhaps you will let me know, as I don't want to drag anyone down. I have had a really bad night's sleep last night and am shattered today, but Annie said you were waiting to hear from me and I thank you for that.
The surgeons are pretty sure that the two offending lymph nodes are the only two, the other 23 nodes they took out were clear. These 2 nodes affected were near the back of my tongue so close to the actual tumour in the middle of my tongue. They have to give me this treatment to make sure the cancer does not come back.
On the positive side, my enlarged tongue is slowly reducing in size, I can speak so people understand me. I have had my gastro/nasal feeding tube taken out and I am back on a liquid diet by mouth, which is much better than being hooked up to the feeding tube 12 hours a day. The patch they took off my wrist to make the new bit of tongue and the artery they removed are healing well and looks very healthy.
So there you have the update and I am sorry I feel a bit down today, but tomorrow is another day and I have to continue to fight this battle. I have been given the opportunity to completely beat this cancer with the next treatment and although it is not going to be a pleasant couple of months I have to do it, not only formyself and my partner but also for you all so that you will realise that a lifelong sufferer of health anxiety can win.
Thank you again all of you for your prayers and kind words. Will look forward to hearing from you.
Reply With Quote
~
xx
