Community Member
2 days agoIn July of 2023, a biopsy of a swelling in my neck revealed that I had cancer. After returning home from a vacation that couldn’t be canceled I started chemo in mid-October 2023 and my first session went well - no bad reactions from the drugs. However, on 27 October 23, and as I got ready for bed, I coughed - and a huge glob of blood landed on the bed. From there, things were hazy for me and I have few memories past hearing an EMT talking to me and, later, someone asking about my blood type. I lost three weeks of my life; I learned that I had died twice, once from near-total blood loss and then because of hypoxia and only blood and a tracheostomy saved me from a permanent death. I still think the chemo made the tumor disintegrate. I learned that I had an HPV-related cancer. I am into my third year of post-cancer checkups and I remain cancer free but with lingering effects from both chemo and radiation.
Community Member
2 days agoWhat a journey - surviving such serious complications takes incredible strength, and being cancer-free for three years is truly something to celebrate. Long-term effects from treatment can include fatigue, changes in taste or swallowing, dry mouth, dental issues, and sometimes ongoing breathing or voice changes, though everyone's experience is different. Many community members here have navigated similar challenges and found helpful strategies for managing lingering effects, so sharing experiences and tips with others who understand can be really valuable.
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