BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 07:14 PM

Squamous cell carcinoma is what I had. They told me if you are going to have cancer, this is the best kind.
I don't believe in prayer, but I do believe in positive energy, and in energizing the thought. So, keep your pecker up and don't let this get you down.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 08:39 PM

One crisis at a time, Linn. Relax, breathe and as they come to you, write down your questions, Tom can do the same if he is motivated, You have three days to absorb the shock, Give yourself time,
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 08:48 PM

National Institutes of Health is a good place to start. My university library has a lot of medical databases (subscriptions because of our nursing program). If there is something you want me to look up for you, let me know. I can print out articles and send them to you, or send PDF to get them there quicker. Sometimes reading these things can scare the shit out of you, so go forward in your research, but take time to evaluate the source and make a list of things to ask your doctors about.

Good luck!

Maggie

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Janie
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 09:46 PM

Thinking of you both, Linn.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 10:33 PM

Linn and Tom -- our very very best to you...........

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 12:06 AM

Linn and Tom, I've just been through some scary conjecturing on my docs' parts..spent many nights and days wondering what the hell and not getting enough data to really research much on my own. Drove me nuts. I called my scientist niece who reminded me I did NOT have enough data to go off on worst case scenario tangents which I was doing and not helping myself or anyone around me. I remembered my mantra was "Right here, Right now, All is well, and I am safe and sound." I also put an image of Daffy Duck in my head which would come up whenever my mind started to run away with scary thoughts of the future. When I did that visualisation, I'd see him jumping up and down, steam coming out of his ears and him yelling, with his spitting lisp, "No! Sssssstop!" Made me laugh and stopped those negative thoughts right away.

So, until Monday, Tom grab a pillow when you have to cough and hug it to your tummy, it will help; Linn, cup your hands and pat his back to keep stuff loosened up in his lungs; and, Tom be sure to breath deeply AND blow it all out as deeply as possible, than will help with lungs, getting rid of anaesthesia, etc. And, you can borrow or clone Daffy, any time.

Positive visualisation and loads of good thoughts, plus plentiful thanks being given for a complete and speedy healing. This or something better for the highest good of all concerned. SO mote it be!

In Peace Profound,

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 01:12 AM

well, DURN....but I see you are getting the best advice and treatment, so I will just say "keep on keeping on".





nawwww...I will also say that I just had the weirdest vision of Tom & Kendall doing "Whispering Hope" as the 1st song of their new duo act.

(Kendall can chastise me at the Getaway.....)

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: kendall
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 06:24 AM

Whispering Hope by the Hoarse Brothers. Hmm it has a nice ring to it.
Bill, I never chastise brilliant people.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 07:04 AM

Just peeking in again and find the most recent news. And find it is the ugly "C" word.

Responding with another ugly "C" word.

CRAP!
OK that spate done with, bringing on the positive thoughts.

I like Katlaughing's Daffy Duck treatment. Gonna use that one myself when the black dog visits.


As much light and hope and all things positive as I can muster speeding your way.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Rapparee
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 09:50 AM

The Hoarse Brothers...at the end of the act they moon the audience and show them a couple Hoarses' Asses.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Micca
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 12:38 PM

Hi Linn, I am thinking of you both positively, ( I am positive I am thinking of you)
The Hoarse Brothers???? can we afford the amount of Single malt needed to fuel this?

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: kendall
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 01:45 PM

Hang the cost! You only live once.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 02:57 PM

Big hug to you both. This is crappy stuff to go through. Luckily you have a big community of those that love you. What ever we do can do to help. I have been looking for my etch e sketch for Tom...

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: GUEST,Partridge
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 04:11 PM

All the very best to both of you. I've read that taking extra Vitamin D3 can support your immune system when getting treatment, Just a thought.

much love
Patrish x

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Hollowfox
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 04:17 PM

Good thoughts are going out to the two of you right now, and the Genuine Purebred Midwestern #$@!-reduction candle series will start when I get home fromwork.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 05:52 PM

If laughter is the best medicine, a few of the folks on this thread are setting you on your way!

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Peace
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 05:55 PM

Best wishes to you, C.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: ranger1
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 06:01 PM

Sigh. Why is it that my friends never have issues that I can go stomp on in my steel-toed boots? Mentally stomping on the cancer for you, Tom. Best wishes from myself and Jason.
Tami

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Ebbie
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 06:22 PM

Bummer. Healing is hard work, Tom, so be sure to eat power-producing stuff. (Ice cream qualifies)

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: kendall
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 08:08 PM

I hear that single malt scotch is healing stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 08:20 PM

Burns like hell on the way down but worth the pain.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: gnu
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 08:23 PM

What pain?

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: ClaireBear
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 09:20 PM

For such pain was the expression "Hurts good!" coined.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Micca
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 10:07 PM

kendall ,he should stick to Island malts like Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Tobermory, Ledaig, Talisker,Highland Park, all the ones with peaty iodine flavours, so that it will cauterize the area, ( I mean since it is supposed to be Medicine, we wouldnt want him to ENJOY it would we?)

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 10:42 PM

Now, Talisker & Highland Park are fine medication, but 'peaty' they ain't....so I will drink 'em. You may have my share of Laphroaig & Lagavulin.

(Talisker is about as overwhelming a pleasant sensation as one can have...drinking, that is. Highland Park is just wonderful for everyday.)

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: My guru always said
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 05:47 AM

Good advice here, still sending positive thoughts, love & hugs!
Hil

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 11:19 AM

Tom and Linn, Sending you positive thoughts if the face of your bad news. I hope all turns out well. Burl

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 06:21 PM

Things will be better when Tom and I can actually converse again -- his handwriting is really, really illegible. (And he was a teacher -- alas, not a handwriting teacher -- for a gazillion years!) Also when the holiday weekend is over and we can actually TALK to his doctors and get more info.

I know I'd like to whallop the nurse who broke the news to him. The way she did it was totally uncalled for.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 06:26 PM

Nurses aren't SUPPOSED to be breaking news. Wallop his doctor!

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 06:33 PM

Jeri is right. What the hell is the matter with the doctor? Shades of the asshole who found Kendall's cancer and left me to break the news. Sons of bitches!

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 06:54 PM

I had a nurse scare the bejeezus out of me a couple of years ago when my daughter was admitted to the hospital for an extremely low blood count and jaundice. She was talking to another nurse while we were in the room and remarked that an oncologist would probably have to be called. Good lord, talk about bad news delivered baldly. Someone should have sat us down and said "she appears to be anemic, and these days all hematologists are also oncologists, because that is a lot of what they do, but a lot of blood disorders have nothing to do with cancer."

Good luck, Linn, and I say mention something to about that mistake to the nurse's supervisor.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: gnu
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 06:55 PM

Odd stuff eh? The lack of professionalism leaves me astonished sometimes. My right side neck muscles still don't work right (hardly at all) since the first slice and dice because the nurse that attended my in the post surgery ward had NO IDEA what I SHOULD/COULD not do.

The second time, I was tended to in fine fashion. Sommat about informing the doc that I lost my business due to the results of the first one?

Linn and Tom... keep the faith eh!

SINS... gosh!

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: ClaireBear
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 12:51 AM

I sympathize. I found out I had cancer over the phone, in my cubicle at work, late on a Friday afternoon at an hour that, by the time I could get home to call the recommended cancer specialist privately, everyone had gone home for the weekend.

Still sending strength and healing. Stay strong! Take care!

Love, Claire

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Dani
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 07:18 AM

Lots of great advice here. Just wanted to send you more good thoughts from NC.

Dani

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 07:30 AM

What happened was this:

Right after the surgery, I got the call in the waiting room to meet the doctor in the conference room. He started right in with the fact that he knew immediately upon looking at it (without waiting for biopsy), that it was squamous cell carcinoma. I'm sure this had been in the back of our heads, but Tom had told me that the doctor had seemed upbeat about the lesion and suggested Tom would have his singing voice back before the PMFF -- so, of course, I really hadn't done ANY research beforehand. Without that research, I really couldn't ask any meaningful questions -- and I was sort of in a state of dumb shock. The doctor said appointments were being made with radiation & chemo docs next week. Then he left, probably to prep for his next surgery of the day.

I went back to the waiting room to wait for the call to meet Tom after his initial recovery from the anesthetic. So about 45 minutes later I went to Tom's new room in Recovery. He was "awake" but still groggy, of course, and for the next hour I really didn't know exactly how alert he was -- plus he couldn't TALK. So I didn't tell him at that time. At some point I left to find a rest room, and on my way back, I went over to the nurse at the nursing station and asked her what key words I should use to research Tom's cancer. (The doctor never actual said "vocal cord" or "glottal" or "supra or subglottal" or what stage.) She started to talk, then said, "Let's talk over here..." and I figured she was heading to a more private spot than the nurses' station. But she led me into the entrance of Tom's room and then started right in about "vocal cord cancer" -- that being the first Tom had heard about it.

Heck of a way to break it to him!

I asked him later if he was surprised and he shook his head violently up and down -- yes!

My assumption, based on the little the surgeon said and my research since, is that it is squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal cord (true cord) and not supra glottal or (rare) sub glottal. We have no idea how far advanced it is or what the doctor suggests as treatment. Tom has a Wednesday appointment with the radiation guy and, as it's my day off, believe me, I'm gonna be there with him and ask a hell of a lot of questions. And those questions are going to be guided a lot by what Kendall can tell us.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: gnu
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 08:11 AM

Very unfortunate. Still sending thoughts and prayers.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 09:11 AM

hugs & more good wishes to you both

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 10:54 AM

Linn-

Kendall and other cancer survivors are probably your best resource at this time.

Such "news" does focus one's interest in medical facts and prognosis, Shit!

I still remember the shock when I heard 30 years ago that my mother had been diagnosed with uterine cancer. She survived and is still creating art at the age of 92 but there was a very stressful year while there was an operation and radiation treatments to deal with.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 11:53 AM

Again, I don't know whether Tom is a good candidate for this (sure hope so, though) but this sounds really encouraging -- and reasonably close by.
Mass General Voice Team

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: jacqui.c
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 12:05 PM

I would recommend a second opinion before doing anything Linn. The Mass General info looks very interesting.

From Kendall's experience avoid radiation like the plague. It compromises the immune system as well as scarring the vocal cords.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: gnu
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 03:47 PM

j... every case is unique. I know Linn and Tom will use every resource and every suggestion and go forth armed with questions and research and so on.

But, in the end, the docs know more that anyone else and armed with those resources and questions, Tom and Linn and the docs will make the best decisions possible.

I just know that the best that can be will be.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: jacqui.c
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 03:54 PM

Gnu - the docs thought that they knew the best way forward for Kendall. Unfortunately a lot of them aren't totally up to date with the latest methods. If Kendall had been told what radiation would do he would not have taken that option. It was presented to him as the lesser of two evils, that or chemotherapy. At least chemo would have not caused the lifelong aftereffects that he now has to live with and the cancer returned within a couple of years.

His laser surgery excised the cancer completely on that vocal cord. He was unlucky that another cancer developed on the other vocal cord.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: gnu
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 04:01 PM

Good info, jac.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 07:07 PM

Hindsight is 20/20.
I spoke with Tom and Linn today. Linn did most of the talking. Tom is ready to meet with the doctors tomorrow or at least speak by phone and set up a meeting to review all his options. He and Linn plan to speak with Kendall to get his perspective on the whole thing. It sounds as if his doctors are ready to start radiation treatment asap. So Linn has her research work cut out for her.

Gnu, I believe that these doctors think they know what is best. Tom is a professional singer. At the very least he needs a second opinion as to treatment. Lasar, for example, was not available when Kendall was diagnosed. If it is an option for Tom (only the doctors can determine that),it does far less damage to both the vocal cords and the immune system.

So Linn will ask lots of questions, get all their options mapped out and decide what is in Tom's best interest both short and long term. Meantime, we can only offer support. I don't envy them the next few months. I don't envy Linn Tom's curmudgeonliness for the next month or two. LOL

On a happier note, Jacqui and I went yard saling. When Linn and Tom are in a happier place, we have found the most revolting piece of hideobilia to date and it has their name on it.

SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Jeri
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 07:34 PM

He's got appointments to to see the radiation oncologist and the chemo oncologist. He hasn't spoken to them yet and they probably hadn't evaluated him at all when the appointments were made and they are separate appointments. Why the hell isn't there one big-cheese oncologist over-seeing this? Hell, the cancer was probably all removed but his oncologists have metastasized!

Sorry. Not funny, just frustrating.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 07:44 PM

vent away jeri, alice is sitting on my hand and i can't capitalize.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Jeri
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 08:14 PM

TMI. (What you do with your cat is your own business, but...)

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Janie
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 09:30 PM

Just letting you know I'm still sending good thoughts and lots of light north to Maine.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Jeri
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 09:38 PM

Hey Janie, aim for New Hampshire!

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Surgery 9-4-2009
From: Jeri
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 09:40 PM

(Unless that was for SINS and her cat problem.)