Diagnosis Confirmed
"HPV Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. A very treatable disease. But treatment sucks."
Those were the ENT's words, as he met with the two of us to confirm the diagnosis.
Surgery is sometimes an option, but often a patient will still need radiation and/or chemotherapy. So, what often proves most effective is to skip surgery and use a short but aggressive combination of radiation and chemotherapy. Effective. And it sucks.
Fast forward one week and we have met with the oncologist. He's reviewed the details and feels optimistic. We have caught it early and it is still localized. The consultation of the team of doctors involved - known as "tumor board" - confirms his optimism and a recommendation for treatment. Six weeks of radiation combined with three cycles of chemotherapy. He confirms what the ENT had told us - treatment can be painful and all sorts of side affects are possible. He recommends we prep for a feeding tube into my stomach, as there is likely to be a period of time where I will not be able to eat.
Treatment is scheduled to begin the week of September 25th.
Preparation Begins
By this point I am reading a lot about cancer and how to not only survive treatment but do whatever I can to increase its effectiveness. One book, "Anti-cancer" by David Servan-Schreiber, MD describes a diet and lifestyle that is, well, anti-cancer. As I am reading it I realize something pretty quickly: he is describing the lifestyle I already lead. Smoking: NO. Diet: A variety of organic vegetables and fruit, not very much red meat, moderate/light alcohol, primarily red wine and minimal, if any, amounts of processed sugar. Activity: daily exercise, stress release with meditation or yoga, getting regular sleep.
Somehow I got cancer anyway.
But Marissa reminds me that it is a good thing I am healthy, as I am going to need it to recover from radiation and chemo. I agree.
So I keep reading books about beating this. I also look into what the treatment is like, and I realize this is what I am afraid of. Radio-chemotherapy is going to be grueling and will have permanent side affects. I have been trying and trying to accept this. I am not having much success.
