Cancer Free

Wow!

I went for my follow up on Tuesday Dec 4th, and back down with the scope he went! and found nothing. a well healing throat!

I have been given the all clear and don't have to go back for a follow up until the end of January and very 1.5-2 months until they spread the appointments further apart.

I am off until Jan 2nd to finish the recoup properly, and my work has been fantastic about it. January and all of 2008 will be a great year!


Cheers,

Kim

hey!

Hi there,

I know some of you who have been following my blog still check in daily, I am afraid I no longer have anything to write.

I have finished my final Radiation treatment on October 25th and have just been laying low and trying to heal. My neck from the outside looks great! I had some peeling and it opened a little bit but I took very good care and it is still slightly red but for the most part I no longer look like a walking circus freak. Phew.

As for the healing inside, well let's just say it changes daily. One day my voice is good and strong and I feel pretty good and they it just changes and my voice is hoarse and dry and I get super tired and it's hard to swallow. I believe the healing is going well and will find out forsure if it all worked by the end of December. I am still off work and just recovering at my home, I am taking care of John's brothers dog so I have some wonderful company during the day who is making sure I get out for a little exersise everyday. We went to kit's beach for a bit yesterday, it was nice.

Look back here on New Years Day and I will post new pics and the results, until then.......have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years Eve!

Final day!!!

This is treatment # 33, woo hoo! I saw the oncologyst for the final time on Monday, and he gave me a few more perscriptions as my neck could open up and I need to be soaking it with a solution to help. I'ts itchy. I took a few photo's this morning.

I am going to visit my nephews after my final 3pm appt and I think tomorrow I can actually sleep in.....I am so very tired and up so early every day. poor me right.

I thank everyone in their support, e-mails and comments. i read them all and appreciate each one.

I can't believe it's done!

I suppose I can't say remission until the doctors go back down to make sure it all worked, but I have faith.

Cheers!

4 more to go!

I only have 4 more to go and I am happy about that! I got a cold about two weeks ago and since then my voice is going. This weekend I could barely speak and the past few weeks were not quite as bad but the same. (sorry for not calling anyone, it's really hard to hear me) but it's better today. I am sitting here talking to myself.....and I can hear what I am saying :). it's still horse though. Dr said that will heal itself in time.

I wanted to mention for anyone who was taking any of the information I gave on driking coconut water. The company ONE who in the beginning of my treatment said they would be sending me 6 month supply of the water for free actually only sent me one box and it cost me 34 bucks in brokerage fee! Saved me 10 bucks I guess but they never sent me anymore. So I found a cheaper way to get it. If you buy the actual coconut from the store, we have all seen them I am sure, and you save 1.00 at least per glass. Just a suggestion if anyone else has fallen in love with the stuff but find it sooo expensive!

We am all moved in, not settled as there is still a few things to be done but the place looks fantastic! i will post some pics when I find my camera!

Cheers,

Kim

Funky nose

I look funny.

7 more to go.....I am still getting over my cold, stuffy nose, sore dry throat and a red and itchy neck. I saw the doctor on monday, and he reaffirmed that nobody will be looking back down my throat until mid December. Guess it will be the best or worst Christmas ever!

I am tired, but being very strong and moving over the next few days. I will post pics of the new place once we are settled.

Thanksgiving

Anthony, Gavin and Riley months and months ago....

Gavin, Riley, Anthony and Evan

So, it's over now...almost. The Thanksgiving weekend brought John's brother, wife and nephew to town. I was not able to get a photo to match the one of them when they were only a few months old but here they are now!

I am tired today and my neck hurts. Good night.

More pictures

So, now that i have figured out this whole picture thing, I took some today. This is a typical day for me these days....

And for those of you who forget.....here is what I look like! It's tough to see just how red my throat actually is, but it is like a REALLY bad sun burn, with no peel!

Weekend babysitting

treatment 16 of 33

today is so close to halfway. I really have nothing new to report, my neck is getting pretty red and sore, my throat is really dry and sore, and i get tired pretty quick.

I am trying to download pictures and i can't. I hate this blog. you can try to go to the on-line album....http://kim-thomas.magix.net and view under babysitting. if it does not work, let me know.

I go to my appt today at 1:10 and see the oncologyst after....hopefully he has the answers from my questions last week.

1/3 done...

Today marks the 1.3 the way done! 22 more treatments to go, and I still feel OK. I am finding it tough to eat still, and I have to chew a lot and eat slow and my throat does feel like it's closing up on me. As I type this I am guzzlin water trying to make it all better. It does not work!!!

I went out last week with Carmen to watch Andy's band play (i left before it started, sorry Andy!) I was tired, and it took me an hour to eat a piece of pizza....mind you we were talking but I really had to chew. I was at mom's for dinner last night and I think I did pretty good, she made some fantastic soups with A Glo on Sat so that was good. We were really full.

I had lots of questions today for Dr Sheehan, and for most of them he has to get back to me. As he said before, this new (5-7 years) cancer is still undergoing research so he does not have all the answers. I did get a prescription for liquid T3 pain meds cause it's getting really tough to swallow the pills. I have stopped taking my vitamins and stuff too, it just hurts to much. The doctor said I should not start any other natural stuff, just stick to multivitamin and that's all until treatment is done as some things can interfere with radiation...I just left it at that.

Nothing more to report.....The apartement is getting closer to being done, so moving day is approaching....not nearly fast enough as I can't wait to get into a vertually brand new place! I just have to get John to work 20hr days instead of 16....hahahha!

Thanks for reading.

Kim

Thanks,

Good afternoon!

I got home today to find these beautiful flowes at my door. I have to say, they are fabulous! They were sent from Capital West, Shaun's (my boss) sister sent them.

I wanted to send out a big thanks to everyone who has sent me flowers, cards and stuff. It really does make your day to come home and see these! I have a big smile.

How much longer? oh ya, 24 more to go! I think tomorrow I am going to ask for stronger pain medication.:(

ouch

I have 25 treatments to go! my throat is killing me! Not literally mind you......

I had to take two extra strength tylenol last night and I still woke up in pain. I have put a picture up, I think of my throat. I had it professionally taken so you will get the point i think. it seems more red in real life. I am still coughing so much, and it makes it worse.

I am still hanging in there, getting tired, had a nice long nap today.

week two...

Today was a different day. I saw the oncologyst, Dr Sheehan and the nutritionist.

The biopsy that was taken two weeks ago was not yet cancerous, but they have included it in the treatment plan to make sure it never does. Dr Sheehan still believes it is some type of infection rather than smoking and alcholol related (ye haw!) his thinking is somthing I actually do not wish to share with this blog, but he says that they are still not sure how this type of infection is caused and 5 years ago they knew even less. He has given me a few suggestions to make sure that these spots do not reoccur. He said he actually feels more optomistic about the long term outcome of my treatment than he did before. He answered the few questions I had and then off to my 6th treatment.

The nutritionist gave me some information, but all in all she would be a more beneficial person to visit when i no longer feel like eating. her suggestions mostly contain soy or milk products and really those don't go down so well on the best of days. I find milk really coats my throat and does not feel so good

I got my signed insurance forms back today, so in the mail they go, it'll be interesting to see how long they take to pay me anything.

Cheers! my chin is still up.

28 more to go....

I have been and gone from the clinic today. My appt was at 8:30. Monday I see my oncologist. I will be asking him questions, and I suppose he will be asking me some. i am not really sure what to expect. i hope he has filled out my insurance papers!

My sister had a good idea to take a weekly picture to see what changes, if any, occur in my face and neck. So i will take one later today. perhaps i will post them all after this is done and you can be the judge....i wouldn't mind losing a little pudge in my face!

Yesterday was a little bit scary, not for me but it sure had my heart racing. I went to this Chinese Herb doctor and he called me to tell me to come 20 min later cause he had a emergency. When i got there, there was an ambulance outside....uh oh. I went to the second floor hoping there were no paramedics but when the elevator opened there was a young girl on a stretcher geting CPR. She was only in her bra and underwear, looked like they cut her clothes off. she had no pulse or very little. I was having second thoughts about my appointment.

Turns out she has advanced stage of lung cancer and was going to him for some chinese medicine because she could not breath. she had a seizure and he called 911. i felt terrible for her and her husband who was there too.

Needless to say, that ruined my day and I truly hope she was OK.

Weekend is here and lee is dropping Gavin off this afternoon so we can have a visit for a few days. Should be fun times! I am going to see if i can put 10lbs on the kid.

Cheers, have a great weekend!

The first treatment

I went at 3pm on Monday. My mom met me there an was great support. We got there a little early and I picked up the moulds for me teeth so i could start the floride treatment yesterday too.

I had a lot of questions for the lady who welcomed me and she answered them and I am happy to be starting.

OK, so back into the mask i go, three people marking, taping and moving me up and down on the bed to get the angle just right. Then out the door they go, (who wants to be in the room with radiation flying all over the place)
2 minutes later, all done!
Now, they say you cannot feel anything, and they are probably right. You really have to go to a happy place and not let your mind wander, or seriously, you can feel the lazer beams going through your neck....but you can't really can you?

I am putting lots of glaxal base cream on my neck and chest to try to keep the redness and dryness away as long as I can. To be honest, I already feel a little different in the area, hopefully this is a good thing. I went today again at 8:20 and i was out by 8:30, they were right on time today, yayyyy!! I still feel good, the accumulitive effects of the Radiation will make me very tired and sore, but for this week so far I feel OK.

that's it, 31 more to go!

Kim

Monday Sept 10th...wish me luck

I just got the call from the clinic. Monday Sept 10th at 3pm is my first Radiation treatment. On this appointment I will be getting a pink card to show my week schedule. I will not have the same appointment time every day due to scheduling issues with each patient.

My heart is racing.....but as I keep saying I am excited to get this **** outta my system.

This weekend i spent way too much money trying to but better food, organic veggies and a lot of wheatgrass. I found i really like the Organic Raw almond butter in place of peanut butter, and I am drinking coconut water and Fiji bottled water. Just a few steps to try to get my PH balance back into my body and cut out sugar and processed foods. it's tough! Veggies, veggies and more raw veggies is what my book says. Can you believe that one lady actually cured herself from Breast and Cervical Cancer by changing her lifestyle (food mostly). I am not a sucker, this lady actually exists and she has a clinic in the US where docters actually send their patients who don't want traditional treatment.

I will continue to post, so please continue to read and post comments so I know who is actually keeping up and sending me those much needed prayers and thoughts!

Much love,

Kim

These titles are getting harder

I am home from the Broncoscopy. Of course, the first needle didnt work so my arm will be nice a bruised tomorrow.

There is good news....it has not spread, but they did do a biopsy as they saw a few more spots. Dr Sheehan and Dr Lam were there and after it was all done they both came to see me.

First off, Dr Sheehan firmly believes that this Cancer was not caused by my recless teenage days of drinking and smoking. He feels it was an infection. He really could not elaborate,but thinks the biobsy they just took was from a wart type thing. That makes me happy in a way to think I didn't totally bring this on myself.

Dr Lam said my bronchial area is inflamed and beleives the reason for my cough. I am now on an inhaler for 4 months and he feels that should take care of this as the two items in my mind are not related.

I feel like we are making progress and I should have some concrete answers once the tests come back. This will not be changing my treatment schedule.

I am tired and going to go back to bed.

Kim

More needles!!!

I was driving home yesterday when Dr. Sheehan called me. He wanted to let me know that he didn't think they would be able to avoid my large saliva glands and that I should go see the Dentist at VHG to make sure I don't need any denal work.....Hold it Dr Sheehan...I have already done that! I was very polite because the last thing I need is to have my oncologyst pissed with me.....but I was thinking....do these departments communicate?

Turns out, they would like to do another Bronchoscopy. This time it's with a different device to look further down my throat and into my lungs to make sure this has not spread....ah, um ok. I thought I was already told that all was clear in that department. I am worried now. Perhaps after my CT Scan last week to map out my treatment they saw something new? I did not ask, but I will when I go in Friday morning at 7am to day surgery.

I hope this doesn't mess up my long weekend.

The mask is made!

That was the most freaky thing I have ever had done I think. I got to the clinic at around 9 this morning to have a mesh mask made of my face and shoulders. I have pictures but I can't download the damn things! Stupid camera.
It was wet and warm and it stuck to my hair, for you ladies who have had a facial beofre it felt like when the mask tightens. That's what I kept telling myself, it's just a facial mask.....
The guy who did this went over all the side effects and things I should be doing to prepare for treatment.

The I had to wait for my CT Scan. The three ladies who helped me back into the mask, now fully dry were very kind. I had to try getting it back on a couple of times because it's VERY tight and they bolt it to the table and you can't move. Very unnerving. Again, I had them take a few photos and if my camera decides to work I will post them.
I had the scan and they put a tiny tattoo on my chest so on my first appointment they know where to start. I was OK with this as I have always wanted a tattoo even though I had a little something else in mind. Nobody will even know it's there it's that small.

I will start my treatments the week of Sept 10th and I will get 33 of them daily during the week. I have asked for morning (7:30-10:30) as they will give you a 3 hour window to chose from. I can change this at any time if I feel it's too early and I can't wake up.

That's it for now....

Kim

Dentistry

Did you ever know how important saliva glands are? I just found out.

I went yesterday to the Dentist at VGH for them to go over my x-ray and do a checkup. Apparently during Radiation your teeth are more suseptable to cavities and won't heal property if you need any major work done and they want to make sure that nothing needs to be done right now. All in all he said my teeth look great and that I need to floss more often during my treatment to prevent cavitites.

On the down side.....they took saliva samples to measure how much saliva i produce when stimulated (chewing flavorless gum) or just sitting. After treatment they will do the same test to see if I am producing the same or less. They made moulds of my upper and lower teeth because during treatment the Radiation will be going through my large saliva glands and will most likely damage them. Basically I will have to use a liquid floride everyday with the moulds to replicate the vitamins and minerals normally produced by your saliva. I asked if I will have to do this for the rest of my life......yes was the answer. But really, I bet I will have the most healty teeth! You can never have enough floride! :) Stay positve right?

Progress

After I spoke to Dr Sheehan the dental department called me to make an appointment for today at 2:30 for whatever they need to do. Not exacly sure, and next Tuesday I have a 2-3 hour appointment to make the mask of my face and shoulders. After they do that I will have my final CT scan with the Radiology team and they will then map out my treatment plan. The girl on the phone yesterday told me when I go in next Tuesday they will be able to give me the start date of my treatment. It is looking like the first week of September! Wow, that's fast and I am getting scared.

I have told my work I will need to take the three months off once my treatment starts so I will be busy around here getting things in order for them.

That's it for now!

Kim

The answer is....

It's Cancer

I spoke to Dr Sheehan at 1:30 today and he confirmed that he has spoken to all the doctors and reluctantly they agree it's an early form of Cancer. We are going to be proceeding right away with getting everything started so I can start my Radiation Treatment ASAP. I have an appointment already tomorrow with the Dental Dept of VGH to go over anything I might need done prior to treatment.

After that I will have another appointment to have a mesh mask made up of my face, neck and shoulders to hold everything in place and in the exact same spot for each radiation session. The sessions will last from 6-7 weeks with daily treatment with each session lasting about 15 minutes and about another 4-6 weeks for recovery. I will be looking at about 3 months off work due to the side effects of the radiation.

I will be looking into getting a nutritionist and volunteer drivers who can take me each day, I have been told as I get further into treatment I will have to be on pain killers and won't be able to drive and my throat will be very sore.

I am happy to have answers, can't say I am happy with them, but at least I can move forward and start my treatment.

Monday Aug 13, at the clinic

Yesterday was my first appointment at the Cancer Clinic. My best friend Carmen came with me to be my support, and second set of ears.

We got there quite early (7:45am) and it turned into a long day.....we went shopping after!

In the end of the appointment I am non the wiser on which treatment I am going to get. When the doctor came in to see us he said the same thing as the rest....you are so young and this is uncharacteristic of this type of cancer to be in someone so young. After he looked down my throat (this was the worst time ever, I actually cried this time) he said it looked inflamed but he would not commit to anything until he spoke to the head of pathology and Dr. Durham. Ok, i thought he would have already done this and I would have a definate answer....but he wanted to have a look too before he spoke to everyone.

We went over the options, and he said he was leaning away from Radiotherpaty due to the long term effects and the % of people whose Cancer comes back within 15-20 years. I told him Dr. Durham said surgery and laser was not an option....so now we are back to square one.

We also met with a very nice nurse who went over all the other things I could expect, i will need a nutritionist to make sure i don't waste away because my throat will be very sore and i may not want to eat. I also had to see the dental department to get x-rays of my jaw in case i need to get some dental work before treatment starts.

All in all it was a good orientation, and I have to call the doctor this afternoon to see how the discussions went with the other two doctors. They will have an answer for me today whether the consensus is yes it's Cancer let's move forward, or ........? not sure really. I hope he has those answers for me today.....I will post when I know.

Kim

Cancer Clinic Appointment

It seems like forever since last Monday's appt with Doctor Durham, but apparently the biopsy is under review by the Pathology dept at VGH, but I have been told the chances are pretty slim that it's a misdiagnosis, apparently anything that comes to VGH that was not actually done there or at UBC is automatically sent for further review.

I have an appointment with the Cancer Clinic August 13, 2007 at 7:45 am. This is a consultation with one of the doctors there and when I spoke to the receptionist there today she said they will discuss my options for treatment, if I have any. She does not know obviously. She did say that whatever Dr Durham wants he will get, and that he may even attend part of the appointment on the 13th. Apparently he is the best neck/throat surgeon. I have been told though that surgery is not an option, perhaps this appointment will give me another option than just radiation. I don't think so though. I was all pumped that just 6 weeks of radiation and then I would be done, I was not thinking of what the Radiation will do to the rest of the good parts of my neck....it's not a nice thought.

So, until then I just have to do wait. I feel OK. I won't be posting until after Aug 13th unless somthing happens with the results being reviewed.

Cheers!

Kim

doctors....

I have been feeling really uneasy today about the way my appointmetn went yesterday. I don't want to get lost in the shuffle of a doctor who doesn't think I have what a pathology test shows I have. So....

I called Dr.Miller's office and spoke to the receptionist for a while as Dr Miller is teaching today. She agreed with all of my concerns and called Dr Miller and told her what i said, even the comment about Bby hospital. He is going to speak to Dr Durham directly and call me back once he has done that. She seems to think that Dr Durham wants to perhaps go over the pathology results with the head of that department, just to be sure of the findings. I personally think that they are being like this due to my age and the fact that this Dr has never seen this in someone so young. I get it, i am too young to have this, but I do so let's get on with treatment and get it out of me! OR do another biopsy and be sure. Either way, I still feel optomistic.

thanks again for all the support, it's working!

update

So I went to the new doctor at VGH today. I left there feeling.....well, it's hard to say. The doctor looked perplexed. He kept saying, you are just not the type of person to get this sort of cancer, too young, didn't smoke or drink enough to make this happen so early in life. He wants to review my file with the panel at the Cancer clinic and speak to Dr Miller to go over everything and make sure they are all in agreement before we proceed with any treatment. I saw for the first time what it actually looks like in my throat.....not bad actually. My vocal cords all look good and all the white spots that we saw (he again thought it looked more like an infection than Cancer) he said looked superficial and that if it is in fact Cancer that they have not penetrated deep into the tissue. Cure? Radiation. Six weeks of daily radiation. I am so Ok with this as i really have been stressed out about losing my voice box or worse. So I am going to be put in contact with the Cancer clininc and hopefully get in there next week to look at starting treatment. In the meantime the doctors can get together and figure out what they think......I don't want to give myself any false hope of a misdiagnosis, I just want to get this overwith and stop coughing. I think that's pretty good news, but keep praying just in case.

Kim

Thoughts...

I was thinking last night about going to the doctor today, and what he might say to me. I also started to think how unlucky I am. Lot's of people smoke and drink, and that is the primary cause of this type of Cancer....I beleive it's why i have it. There are not a lot of cases of this type, especially in my age group. It will be one year Aug 2nd that i have quit smoking, but I do continue to drink my wine! Could that really be an issue? I will ask my doctor today. As for those of you reading this who used to smoke or continue to smoke, I hope it is a wake up call. It's never to early to get yourself checked out. Since I quit I have tried not to be a nag, I was just ready to quit when I did so it was easy. If my unfortunate situation can even get one person to quit I can't say whether it is worth it or not, but at least it might save someones life. I am still trying to be strong and to believe that it's all going to be OK.

If i lose my hair....who's gonna shave theirs as well?

Thanks

I just want to say "thanks" for all the calls, comments and e-mails i have received. Your thoughts and prayers mean a lot. I don't have any new news yet, but i will post aft I see the doctor on Monday the 23rd.

Thanks again,

Kim

Thursday June 28, 2007

This is the start of a blog that i hope ends well.

I have had this nagging cough for quite some time now, due to my past smoking habit no doubt. I have been going several times to doctors for chest x-rays and such...all OK. Doctors have thought it might be a nasal drip, or acid reflux and i have taken medicaiton for all of it with no change.

On Thursday June 28th i went for what is called a Microlaryngoscopy with a biopsy. I was to rest my voice for about two weeks after that so it could heal. Yesterday was two weeks.

One Tuesday July10th, I was told that the biopsy came back positive for what is called Hypopharyneged Carcinoma. Cancer.

I have been back to see Dr Miller who did the Microlaryngoscopy and he has given me some good news. The Cancer is at stage zero, so they have caught it very early. I went today for a CT Scan of my neck and I will be seeing a new Dr on Monday July 23rd at VGH to discuss the results of the CT scan and see where we go from here. Dr J. Scott Durham is suppose to be a very good surgeon and will be taking care of me through this whole thing i beleive.

I have been told the options are surgery on the neck, radiation and/or chemo. I do not know what to expect now, but i am trying to be as positive as i can.

I wanted to create this blog so the people around me can keep updated on my progress and know what is going on as it is a very sensitive area to have Cancer in, and at times i most likely will not be able to talk.

i will accept all prayers.