Chris’ Cancer Journey
Read Chris’ uplifting story of resilience and triumph. Learn how his dedicated care team guided him & be inspired by his incredible journey.
30 Stories in 30 Days™ // April 2023
My journey started with some inflammation in my neck. No pain, just a regular bump. At first I thought it would go away, but after a few weeks I decided to see my primary care provider and have him take a look. It didn’t seem like there was much cause for concern, but we still took the appropriate precautions with imaging.
I would still need to get a biopsy, however, to know for sure what I had. Besides the pain in my “neck” that I will always remember, having the pathologist tell me it was positive for cancer with no additional information about the type or prognosis left me with a very uncomfortable feeling.
After more imaging and seeing the local ENT and cancer team at the hospital, I was better informed of what I had and the possible options for treatment. Although somewhat encouraging, I decided to find additional opinions with providers that deal with my cancer on a more regular basis.
Although I did see providers at a cancer center in New York, I decided upon another provider team in the city. My doctor was really terrific during our first meeting and my decision as to which provider team I would choose was very easy to make. He and his care team that I met that first day really instilled the confidence that they not only could treat my cancer, but provide me with a great chance for an optimal outcome.
So, first came surgery with my doctor and another otolaryngologist. The tonsillectomy and lymphadenectomy were performed. Another lymphadenectomy on the right side of my neck was performed a few weeks later to ensure the cancer didn’t spread to the opposite side. Although the results of that were negative, cells did escape the capsule of the left lymph nodes, requiring the addition of chemo and radiation to my care plan.
My doctor and care team… really instilled the confidence that they not only could treat my cancer, but provide me with a great chance for an optimal outcome.
So how bad could this be? Surgery was tough, and recovery as an adult from a tonsillectomy was pretty rough.
I eventually started the radiation and chemo treatments. I’ll tell ya, the simulation you need to go through for designing the mask for head/neck radiation was pretty rough. Lying still for almost an hour with the mask on your face can feel pretty claustrophobic, and this is only the first of many challenges to come.
As per my initial impression of my surgical team, the radiation team was equally terrific. What started as a brutal mental test to resist the urge to move while in that mask, became more tolerable pretty quickly as I adapted to the procedure. The healthcare providers were really helpful and supportive, guiding me through the process and making me feel as comfortable as possible.
The healthcare providers were really helpful and supportive, guiding me through the process and making me feel as comfortable as possible.
I underwent chemo once a week with an oncologist, who was exceptional. He provided me with great care, full transparency and was available whenever I had any questions. His care team was also outstanding, as they provided me with pain management, speech, dietary and occupational therapy when required. My radiation oncologist was also really terrific. This guy gives you the utmost confidence that he and the team know what they are doing.
Although I was initially a bit in denial that chemo and radiation would have an adverse effect on me, my oncologist and radiation oncologist did not shy away from the realities of treatment and honestly walked me through the symptoms and pain I would experience. They were super diligent and spent an incredible amount of time with me. Their descriptions of what the treatment would involve were unfortunately right on, but I appreciated those transparent conversations, which helped me prepare for what was to come.
I was able to undergo a new, shorter course of treatment, so I was done after 6 weeks of chemo and radiation! 6 weeks of radiation and chemo took a toll on my body for sure, causing me to lose over 40 pounds as it was difficult to eat during the treatment period.
The luckiest part of my journey was getting to meet and get treated by a really great, smart and compassionate group of providers.
The good news is that after surgery and treatment, I am officially cancer free!!
If there was one thing that surprised me during my journey, it was how important the care team became to me. The luckiest part of my journey was getting to meet and get treated by a really great, smart and compassionate group of providers. The positivity they conveyed during even the worst times of my treatment also provided the support I needed when the pain and side effects became pretty bad.
I was told by one of my providers that head and neck radiation is one of the worst treatments. I can understand why they told me that, but I will say that the approach my care team took made a huge difference in the success of my recovery.
Interested in Sharing Your Cancer Journey?
For someone recently diagnosed with cancer, reading the stories of other caregivers and survivors can inspire.
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