Hi Kelly 

Welcome to our small band and Im sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Unlike Hazel and Ian it was my husband who was diagnosed with tonsil cancer with lymph node tumours in December 2015. Aftet 30 radiotherapy sessions, 5 cycles of chemotherapy and a neck dissection he was been cancer free since July 2016. As ‘the other half ‘ it can be difficult to come to terms with the fact you feel so helpless when your loved one is going through such horrible treatment so if I can be of any help to your hubby or you then feel free to ask any questions or send me a friend request so we can chat 1:1

As Hazel and Ian say take it one day at a time - everyone is different and reacts differently to the treatment and recovers at different rates. We are here to say there is light at the end of the tunnel and you can get through this as a team. Things will be hard and there will be difficult times - I wont lie - there will be times when you think I cant do this but you will get to the end if the road - think positive thoughts and keep talking to each other.

Sending you loads of luck and working as long as you can will definitely help keep your mind occupied ( before chemo brain kicks in - but thats another story )

best wishes

Emma 

Good luck Kelly, i live abroad but come from the Lothians and considered Edinburgh for my treatment , 33 radiotherapy. I  hear great things about the Magggies centre at the Western.

Hi Kelly

like Emma says if you can continue to work for a while keep doing it ,are you h p v 16 + Andy what’s your staging do you know is was T2N2Nm which is tumournsize 2-4 cams two lymph nides but on last scan that was increased to 3 prior to treatment and nm is no metastasis to other parts if body. 

I hope you have someone who can go to treatment soon with you and you aren’t driving 2 hours each way each day or didn’t I get that but wrong 

keep in touch we are all here to bounce off if need be. The mask is nothing to fear I gave mine a name spoke to it every morning as I went into treatment told it that it was saving my life’s and thank u made the radiotherapy team laugh if nothing else. Then brought her home and she’s hangs in the garage thought she deserved a home for all she had done for me. Lol yep am a bit of a nutter as well !! Ps find some box set that you can get stuck into as your mind soon won’t conventrate on anything much for a few weeks .

Hazel ,thank you for reading our blogs we do rant on a bit but hopefully useful rants 

Thanks Emma.

All the positive stories are certainly helping me and everyone can’t believe how good I’m dealing with everything so far. 

My husband is doing a lot better the now and all my family and friends have been a great support too.  I know it’s not going to be easy. 

Kelly

Thanks TFS

Everyone I’ve dealt with so far has been amazing! Well, apart from the car park attendant at Edinburgh but he’s not important! 

Im sure I’m in good hands. 

Hi Hazel

Not sure of the staging. I basically found a lump on my neck in June. Went to the docs and was given antibiotics and had bloods done. Bloods came back clear and was told to stop the antibiotics. Back to the docs a couple of weeks later as lump still there and was referred for a scan . Was given scan appointment sometime in August so went back to the doctors again who referred me to ENT and marked it as urgent.

Went to ENT appointment on 31st July and was admitted as my throat was very swollen and they couldn’t see my voice box. Was put on various antibiotics with not much luck. I then had a biopsy on my neck followed by a biopsy on my throat under general anaesthetic. It was only when they put me to sleep they realised it was a cancerous mass. 

They removed 98% of the mass and my treatment in Edinburgh will hopefully get rid of what is left! 

I will be driven up on a Monday and brought back home on a Friday by family members and will get to spend the weekend at home. There is a bus run by my local hospital but I’m not the best traveller and my family seem to want to do there bit so i’ll not complain! It’s because I’m 2 hours away that they just admit you. If my local hospital provided the treatment I needed I could be at home every night! 

Got some box sets in mind ready and some books! 

Kelly 

Hi Kelly 

take help from who ever wants to help .with you re the 2 hour trip deffo too far some days because  traffic my journey could be 90 mins which stretched me ok on the rare traffic free days 40 mins was the normal time. The treatment is brutal but it works  willbe thinking of you tomorrow it’s really not that bad the mask justvtememebr it’s going to save your life 

keep in touch 

Hazel x

Hi kelly

I just wanted to say that I wish you all the best on your journey.  I am 4 months post treatment (soft palate cancer) and just recently given the all clear.  There is light at the end of the tunnel.  You are better prepared than I was, I only found this site in the very latter stages of my treatment and was not prepared at all.  Hindsight is a marvellous thing. Hazel and Ian both provided me with great advice and tips thanks to their diary blogs.

all the very best to you x

Lori

Hi Lori

This site has been a great help for me. I had my mask fitted on Monday and was back today as my consultant would like me to take part in a clinical trial. 

Im now getting 7 weeks of radiotherapy and 3 chemos as opposed to 6 weeks radio and 2 chemos. Had a bit of a wobble earlier about the extra week but I know it’s all to help me. Just hating the thought of being away from home. 

Hope you are doing well now? 

Kelly x