The Swallows Australian Edition Magazine

My glass is always full
- Hans Ede
In 2011 I was working in a high pressure job
when one day I came down with a cold. Of
course, like any other man I just kept working
and taking Codral to be able to handle the
work. When a big lump started to grow on my
neck I sought help from my family GP who sent
me to have a biopsy. The biopsy came back
inconclusive, which meant that we still didn’t
know what the problem was. My GP now sent
me to a Head and Neck surgeon. I was
fortunate to see Professor Jonathan Clark who
performed a neck dissection on my right side
and the pathology result was positive. I had an
SCC cancer but the primary source was not
located, which means that the cancer had
spread from an unknown location. This is
called a CUP (Cancer of Unknown Primary). I
was given a 50% chance of surviving that
cancer another five years. I took it quite well as
I have always believed that my glass is not half
empty or half full, but in my mind always full.
The timing was not too good as we were very
busy at work, but I was advised that we
needed to start Radiation in Campbelltown as
soon as I recovered from the operation.
The treatment was not at first too bad but after
25 radiation sessions my body could take no
more and I ended up in the ICU. It was decided
to cease treatment early. I lost 25 Kg and had
big problems swallowing and also keeping
food down. My life-saving diet consisted of
Weet-Bix with yoghurt and for a snack, I had
my favourite drink which was a coffee frappe
which is full of calories. Life was looking good
again and I was grateful to be back at work and
returning to a normal lifestyle.
Unfortunately, two years down the track, during
the three-monthly check-up, Professor Clark
found a lump on my left side and we needed
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another biopsy. I still felt pretty resilient and
thought everything would be just fine. The
result came back positive. This time I didn’t
take it as well. It felt like the whole world fell
apart. It took me a few days to get over the
shock. I now needed a neck dissection on the
left side and also a glossectomy using the Da
Vinci robot to try to locate the primary source in
the back of the tongue. The robot is not
covered by Medicare or private health cover
yet, but the operations were successful and
the cancer removed, but they still couldn’t
locate the primary source.
We started another 30 sets of radiation but this
time at Liverpool with a more sophisticated
“TOMO radiation machine”. The body handled
it a bit better and I only lost 20Kg. I now had to
retire as I developed Chronic Fatigue.
I’m the luckiest bloke on earth having been
given an extra two leases of life. I have been
able to walk one of my daughters down the
aisle and have seen our first grandchild.
Without the excellent service and care of the
doctors and nurses at Liverpool and
Campbelltown Hospitals that wouldn’t have
been possible. I am now trying to give
something back to the community that’s been
so good to me by involving myself with the
Head and Neck Cancer Support Group in
Liverpool and also being part of the Cancer
Consumer Advisory Committee.
My wife and I, along with our dachshund,
Sizzle, are enjoying doing some travelling with
our caravan and life is great!