Freda E. Talks About Her Experience of Being Treated for Throat Cancer.
Freda Ewing is in her mid-fifties. In early 2000, she was diagnosed with oral pharyngeal head and neck (throat cancer).
When/how did you discover you had cancer?
I had a sore throat for a long while and my local doctor prescribed antibiotics, but this was not relieving the pain. In March 2000, I went to my internist at Emory Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia and he referred me to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) consultant there, who discovered that one of my tonsils was enlarged and suggested a biopsy. The biopsy revealed that I had cancer of the throat.
What was your reaction?
I was horrified; petrified with fear. I couldn't understand it because I had never smoked and had never been a heavy smoker. So I kept on thinking, why me?
I simply did not want to accept it. In fact, when I first went for treatment, I was reluctant to speak with the other patients, but I finally came around and now I feel as if we are all members of the same family.
What did you do?
When Dr. Kingdom reassured me that my cancer was curable, I began to accept it and started looking around for the best way to achieve that.
Did you do any research?
If so, where and how?
My son-in-law is a research cardiologist and he called various oncologists and did some Internet research.
Where did you go for treatment and whom did you see?
I was referred to Dr. Landry at Emory and underwent a MRI to pinpoint the location of the tumor. Dr. Landry suggested that I would be a good candidate for the latest type of cancer treatment. From what he said, it sounded less intrusive than previous treatments, so I decided to go ahead and Dr. Landry set up my treatment program. I moved into an apartment in Atlanta to be closer to Emory.
Describe your treatment experience. What was it like?
The treatment took place five days a week, for eight weeks. Each session lasted around 10-15 minutes. They made a special facemask/mold so the radiation could be pinpointed exactly to the tumor and to ensure my head remained in the exact same position through the treatment.
Was it painful?
It didn't hurt a bit, though it was a little scary and claustrophobic when they first made the face mask.
Were there any side effects?
Dr. Landry warned me there would be some side effects and there were. My throat was sorer than before and I had dry mouth. My taste buds were affected and I had some skin discoloration and hair loss. But they all lessened after the treatment and some have disappeared completely. I tried Amifostine for the dry mouth, but I had an allergic reaction to it. I'm taking Salagen now and it's much better than before.
How was the procedure described?
Dr. Landry explained to me how the radiation therapy process he uses would pinpoint the tumor and treat it without radiating as much of the surrounding healthy tissue as used to be the case in the past. I also received some brochures on the treatment technique he would be using, and the technicians told me about the procedure during my actual treatment.
Are you happy with your decision?
I am extremely happy with my decision. I'd like to find the people who invented this advanced form of radiation therapy and thank them personally.
How are you doing now?
I feel almost back to normal now. Of course, something like this changes your life and you have to adjust to those changes. But I'm gradually getting back to my old healthy self again. Dr. Landry was able to spare a lot of my saliva glands and that's a real blessing for me.
What's your advice to others?
My advice would be to go see your doctor as soon as possible. If you're told you have cancer, don't fight the diagnosis; accept what you have and concentrate on getting better. And if you are a candidate for advanced radiotherapy, go to wherever you can get the treatment, even if it means you have to travel or take temporary accommodation as we did. I'd like to see more hospitals using advanced technology.
