My husband had an MRI scan last week to see how the tumour in his jaw has responded to the three cycles of chemotherapy.

Despite good initial visual indicators, the scan has shown that it has grown. To be honest we weren't surprised as overnight Sunday night his chin and neck swelled quite considerably, indicating some growth of some sort.

This, coupled with the scan results, shows that the cancer has become resistant to the chemo.

The next step?

Another chemo regime starting tomorrow. A 50% chance of some response but it is also highly likely that an initial good response will turn into it being chemo resistant, like this time.

His consultant is putting him forward for any relevant clinical trials, here or abroad, so that we can get any paperwork sorted out if we have to go down this route in a couple of months.

He's only on liquid food now, has trouble sleeping at night and wakes up gasping for breath and it is frightening/heartbreaking to see him go through this. They think this is only due to thick saliva getting stuck, but will stick a tube down his nose next week to make sure the tumour isn't causing pressure on his wind or food pipe.

How am I doing?

Crap, if I'm honest. I just don't know what to do or say. It really feels as if this might be the beginning of the end, but who knows when that end might be. Bar some sort of miracle, this cancer is going to take him from me.

Being practical, I'm off to order some essiac tea which if you believe the reports it might help, and to arrange an appt with his GP to speak about the other herbal medicine that they talked about on LK Today this morning.

spouse

I really feel for your husband, I hate that, """How do you feel ? Like I have swallowed a golf ball studded with razor blades."""How do you feel ? Like a hamster that has been hit on the side of the head with a cricket bat every morning! Sorry can't hear you the Radiotherapy has made me deaf all I get is high pictched screaming noises.
Tell yourself there is a Healing Energy within and a greater Power within ourselves, don't give up hope.

Hi Spouse - well what can any of us say.

I know we should always sound positive, forward thinking and all that jazz. But, I just can't help thinking you're right in that it just might be the beginning of the end.

Naturally I hope to God I'm wrong and that the new regimes work.

You'll both have to be really, really strong in the coming months. I don't know where people get their strengths from but it seems that the harder the trial the more strength people exhibit.

I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that my thoughts and prayers are with you both. Hope that you'll feel able to keep us up-dated.

God bless

Hello Spouse

Keep strong. I followed up the links on Carctol - it does not appear to do any harm, has a cost but with the potential for a miracle cure, according to some. You will need a prescription for it.

I rember Ishbel giving us a good tip on getting relef from thick saliva with Mucodyne. Hope it helps.

Best wishes
Vinod :coffee: