Follow up after prayer request - Cancer Message Board

sage7070 · 08-08-2005, 10:59 AM

Thank you for your prayers for my husband,I believe it really made a difference.He had his second biopsy and this time the news was a lot different than the first time.We were told the cancer was on his right tonsil and the right side of the back of his tongue.They said it was pretty superficial,not very deep and involving only one lymph node.They diagnosed him as T2N1M0 . The first doctor we saw pretty much said he was terminal!! This was great news and we were so happy !! We were told he needed to have radiation treatments twice a day,five days a week for six weeks and chemo 1 time at the beginning of the radiation { given in the hospital over the course of 4 days}and 1 time at the end of radiation.We went to see the radiation oncologist and he gave us a lot of info on the cancer and treatments.He did not seem as hopeful as the ENT though.He said he felt a lump in the other side of my husbands neck and he said he was stage 4 . I ask the ENT about why the diagnosis seemed to be different and he said it was just a different way of saying the same thing he had told us.He did not sound convincing to me though,he seemed hesitant.Does anyone know anything about this. Is saying stage 4 the same as T2N1M0 ? Please more info on staging cancer if anyone knows. My prayers are with each of you as I read your stories . If I can help anyone of you let me know,if you need to talk etc.May God be with us all. Deborah

lbp35 · 08-09-2005, 10:09 AM

Deborah,
I am not sure how to answer your questions regarding stage.I do know that no matter what stage, you do not lose hope. When I found out my friend was stage 4b, which is bad I thought there was no hope.He had lymph node involvment on both sides. What could be worse I thought?????I called his doctor & was surprised that he actually he spoke with me. He said my friends prognosis after tx was good.Things were looking up.I will tell you that I did pray constantly!it worked. Please don't just look at statistics, don't look at stages...your husband has a good chance to fight this.The treatment is rough and its a long road even afterwards.My friend is having a hard time gaining weight (so have hubby bulk up before) also the dry mouth is bad but he is alive. He is 1 year out and things are slowly getting better.He had his check up with the ENT last month and all looks very good. He worrys about recurrence but that too is getting better with time. I know this is very scarey, it was for us too. But you have to fight this with everything you have and take care of you too!Let me know how the doctors appointment goes.Any other questions, please ask. Will keep your hubby in my prayers!God bless!!!