Hello All

For the past year or so, I have been logging onto this forum (As a guest) and would just like to say that it has certainly been so inspirational and comforting to me, to have found others who have been diagnosed and survived the dreaded �C� word.

Myself�.. I was diagnosed with a Carcinoma in the Post Cricoid T1 NO MO. In other words a small cancerous tumour in the back of the throat, amazingly discovered because a pill had lodged itself in my throat. I realize after reading some of your stories, that I have indeed been very fortunate. All I have required is 20 sessions of Radiotherapy, finishing on Christmas Eve 2002 (No surgery was required).

Since then�.. three months after Radiotherapy finished, I have had a full biopsy taken of the Post Cricoid area, thankfully no cancerous cells remained. I had my gullet stretched in January of this year, no biopsy taken, as nothing sinister showing at all. I have developed Hypothyroidism and will be on Thyroxine for the rest of my life - no big deal.

The reason for writing today is really to say �Thank You� because you have given me so much reassurance, I felt I had to give some input.

Take care,

Rosemary

Hello Rosemary

Welcome, glad to know you are fine .

How did your cancer present itself - intriguing to hear how it was discovered. Tell us your story, please - we would love to hear it.

Best wishes
Vinod :coffee:

Hello again

It was the most amazing thing how the tumor was discovered. It started around April of 2002 when I decided to go on a diet for my daughter�s wedding. The diet was going really well and I was taking vitamin supplements, which I was having difficulty swallowing, I just put it down to the size of the pill.

Then the week before my daughter�s Wedding (My daughter got married on the 2nd August) I was not feeling quite right, I thought it was all due to Wedding arrangements, lots of relations coming from abroad, all the planning etc� and still the darned pill kept sticking in my throat. I went to my G.P. told him about the pill sticking. He had a look and said my throat did look a bit inflamed and gave me a course of anti-biotics. These I duly took. The Wedding was simply wonderful � not a hitch everything went well. I must say I didn�t have much time to think about myself.

It was now September and I was not happy about my throat. My doctor asked if I would like to be referred to an ENT Specialist. This was arranged within a couple of days. After examining my throat he could not find anything. He suggested a Barium Swallow saying this should show anything foreign. This was done within a day. Nothing showed. The doctor actually said �Clear as a Bell � if you are thinking cancer � forget it�. His words still haunt me to this day.

My husband and I went off to Amsterdam at the beginning of October, just for a long weekend. My husband thought it would take my mind off �things�. It was a lovely weekend � except I had this continual lump in my throat � it was as if I had just watched a weepy movie and couldn�t move the lump, I�m sure you know the feeling.

First day back after Amsterdam, I had to do something about this niggling throat. Made an emergency appointment at G.P�s. I said I did not care what the Barium Swallow showed, there was something drastically wrong with my throat. He immediately telephoned the hospital, spoke to the same consultant whom I originally saw. I was admitted to hospital that day. All the necessary tests taken. In theatre the next morning for Exploratory scopes of throat plus Biopsies and CT scan. They had discovered something �foreign�.

I was fortunate they fast-tracked the results of the biopsies, I was told within four days the result. I had a small cancerous tumour. i.e. Carcinoma in the Post Cricoid T1 NO MO. This was explained to me as being a very small cancerous tumour. Devastating to say least, of course you know that horrible, horrible feeling. All I could think of � just cut it out. My consultant said I was being a bit drastic, as this could be cured. He said we would all work as a team, himself, another wonderful consultant and the best consultant Radiologist ever. All of us working together, and me above all keeping a positive attitude. I would be cured. The Radiotherapy passed without a hitch. � After effects not very pleasant, to say the least, but you just keep on thinking it can�t last forever. Although I must admit when I think of it, the mask was a nightmare. I used to time myself in not swallowing, as I was petrified I would choke, this did work � I could actually go for ten minutes without swallowing. Amazing.
.
It has now been almost fifteen months since I finished treatment, and I know I have been one of the lucky ones. There is not a day goes by that I don�t think about what could have been had I not been so persistent. I must say I do pray a lot more now, and I know I always will. Also my family have been wonderful, my son insisted on coming home from South America to take me to Radiotherapy the first and last weeks of treatment. My husband has not missed one hospital appointment with me. The biggest bonus of all was - that my daughter actually cooked Christmas Dinner in 2002 � never to be forgotten. Make of that what you will.

Sorry it has been such a screed.

Take care,

Rosemary

Rosemary - thanks for sharing your story with us, great stuff.

Personally I read positive attitude, positive outcome.

Hope you'll carry on posting because I'm sure you'd be able to re-assure some people.

God bless

Thank you Pikeman��.. I certainly will keep posting. Your right, I do have a positive outlook � especially when you are hit with one of life�s �Bummers� you must be strong, but also you must not be frightened to cry (Believe me, I�ve cried buckets). This is not a sign of weakness, its just being normal.

By the way I meant to say, I was lucky I couldn�t eat Christmas Dinner in the year 2002.

Take care,

Rosemary

Hi Rosemary, I am so glad of the outcome of your (dreaded) C.
Your attitude is very inspiring for me.
I too had a small lump in the bottom of my mouth had Antibiotics for months.
My GP said the Cancer never entered her head as I was too young (41 at the time).
I too was on a diet and kept falling asleep at inapropiate times like going to the Theatre and when comming home from work.
I was away on holiday Pleased as I had a Boipsy at the local hospital 2 weeks before and they said it was CLEAR!
while I was away I got lumps in my throat and cannot really remember the last days of my Holiday the rest is History I guess.
I too was on a diet not because I was fat but to build up my muscles.
I was 10.5 st then now I have gone down yet again to 8st now.
Why are clothes so expensive? my weight goes up & down but been 8st for some time now although eating alot of fatty things which I hate putting in my body and Ensure.
Its strange how you remember the litle things like you Daughter cooking dinner!
My first meal was xmas dinner (minced up) and it was heaven after being on Ensure for so long.
I too am grateful as things could have been worse for me belive it or not.
The Radiotherapy is the worst thing (36 sessions) and the problems afterwards.
It is so nice to hear you have loving Family it really helps.
I do hope you kep in touch with us on here and let us know how you are geting on.

thankyou for a positve outlook I needed to read that right now.

Cheer

Paul

Hello Paul and thank you, I will certainly keep on posting. As you quite rightly said�. you can only truly understand when you have the �T Shirt�. Unfortunately we don�t all take small sizes � some larger than others.

Take care,

Rosemary