Diagnosis & Treatment

CANCER TYPE
Lymphoma, Tongue & Brain Cancers
AGE DIAGNOSED
54
Medical Center
University of Maryland Medical Center - Baltimore, MD
Surgeon
Dr. Rodney J. Taylor - Baltimore, MD
Oncologist
Dr. Rodney J. Taylor - Baltimore, MD
Clinical Trials
Medical Treatment
Chemotherapy
Radiation
Surgery
Details of Treatment
6 weeks of chemo, 35 rounds of radiation (clean for 5 months then returned), 1 major surgery to cut face in half, remove cancer, and rebuild face. Required a feeding tube for chemo and surgery. Still working on rebuilding parts of jaw and teeth due to surgeries.
Medication During Treatment
Cisplatin
Alternative Therapies During Treatment
No items found.
WHAT CANCER TAUGHT ME
Cancer has changed my life because I can help other people now by listening to them and what they’re going through, because I’ve been there myself. 
Supplements
Vitamins E & D
WHAt helped me during treatment
Favorite Quote
My daughter got a sign that says "everything’s gonna be alright" from a Kenny Chesney song that she also put on wristbands she had made for me. It is what it is - and remember - others have it worse.
Advice for Others
it will be tough, but you will get through it.

My Story

It all started when I found a lump in my throat by my lymphnodes - I could actually see it. I got a doctors appointment with my ENT and she pretty much knew right away that it was lymphoma but they did a biopsy to verify it. It was. I then went through the chemo and radiation and had a feeding tube because the radiation was so bad on my throat that I couldn’t swallow. 

My scans were clean for about five months and then the cancer came back - and a rare (but benign) brain tumor was discovered. The doctors then did surgery. They had to cut my face in half to operate, took part of my tongue, and put a flap in from a skin graft on my wrist in my mouth. They also removed all of the lymph nodes from the left side of my neck. I have a plate in the front of my face with wires and staples holding it together. 

Then I had treatment for the brain tumor. I did proton radiation last year and am now on chemo for the brain tumor - which thankfully, is working.  The treatment for the brain tumor is happening while they’re trying to rebuild my jaw (the amount of radiation that I had made my jaw bones brittle). When they operated on my face and put it back together, my face became a little bit smaller in my jaw area so I lost teeth. Over the last 15 months I’ve had facial surgery on my jaw and teeth that’s still ongoing.

The one thing to that I really emphasize is the importance of connecting with others by listening and understanding. I can help other people now by listening to them and what they’re doing through, because I’ve been there myself. 

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