I spend my fair share of time on the www. I have come across two websites recently that have stood out above the fray. One is dedicated to head & neck cancer; the other is for a wide range of cancers.
The first is the Oral Cancer Foundation at…
http://oralcancerfoundation.org/
They have the most complete site dedicated to H&N cancer for everything from diagnosis to rehabilitation. The section on “Emotional aspects” and within that “Survivors – What Now?” is what caught my attention. Here’s a link directly to that section (it has 2 parts)…
http://oralcancerfoundation.org/emotional/survivors_1.htm.
Until one goes through this experience, it is difficult to fathom the impact it has on one’s psyche. This section resonated with me and confirmed that I am not overreacting to my current circumstances. I found it helpful and wanted to pass the information on to others.
The second site is CancerCompass at…
http://www.cancercompass.com/
They have an active forum (message board) section covering 35 different cancers. The direct link to this section on their website is…
http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board.htm
In reading the posts and responses for head & neck cancer, this site has quickly grown an active and knowledgeable community that has been there and done that. I can’t speak directly for the other cancers, but I doubt you will be disappointed. Again, it covers the gamut from diagnosis to rehabilitation. There are also caregiver perspectives.
Dealing with cancer is tough. But, these sites make it a bit easier.
Take care.
Ed
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Quick Health Update
Happy New Year 2010!
I had a blood draw, head & neck CT scan, and clinic visit with my oncologist on 12/30/09. My health remains stable. My doctor used a term in his follow up written clinic report with which I was not familiar. He said I was in "clinical remission." Up until this point, I had been in a state of "no evidence of disease (NED)." I can not find an exact definition of clinical remission, but I infer from my Internet searches that it means the following: as a result of my ongoing treatment, my disease is not detectable. He has left me on a daily chemo drug, 100 mg of Tarceva. There are limited guidelines as to how long I should continue this treatment, but since I am tolerating it well, the risk of a cancer recurrence outweighs the current side effects. My next scheduled visit is in three months.
As to my psychological state, I feel trapped, both physically and mentally. I could write about this, but for now, I'll leave it at that.
Take care and great health during this new decade.
Ed
I had a blood draw, head & neck CT scan, and clinic visit with my oncologist on 12/30/09. My health remains stable. My doctor used a term in his follow up written clinic report with which I was not familiar. He said I was in "clinical remission." Up until this point, I had been in a state of "no evidence of disease (NED)." I can not find an exact definition of clinical remission, but I infer from my Internet searches that it means the following: as a result of my ongoing treatment, my disease is not detectable. He has left me on a daily chemo drug, 100 mg of Tarceva. There are limited guidelines as to how long I should continue this treatment, but since I am tolerating it well, the risk of a cancer recurrence outweighs the current side effects. My next scheduled visit is in three months.
As to my psychological state, I feel trapped, both physically and mentally. I could write about this, but for now, I'll leave it at that.
Take care and great health during this new decade.
Ed
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