Testimonial: Throat Cancer TORS Surgery
“Dr. St. John and Dr Chhetri, both the nation’s top throat and neck surgeons removed the throat cancer and neck effected areas with absolute precision.” —Paul
I had maybe been taking advantage of great health. Living a bit of a health charmed life. After all, I had just completed a wilderness motorcycle adventure ride through the remote Grand Canyon. This was to launch my new streaming TV travel series I named “Riding Remote… And Alone”.
But when my neck suddenly swelled up to the size of a baseball I knew something bad was happening inside of me. Little did I know I was about to face anybody’s worst moment? I was in fact being told… I had throat cancer. Looking back now, I wouldn’t have wanted to experience that news any other way then with Dr. Maie St. John. Sitting in her office she delivered the diagnosis with equal parts calm, confidence and a dignity that reflected her deep sense of caring for me. I was first hit with shock. This was not supposed to be my life story. I wasn’t prepared for cancer. And I’m used to relying on myself traveling remote and alone in my wilderness.
Well, Dr. Maie St. John and her UCLA Head and Neck Department are like perfect professional medical guides that safely lead their “remote and alone” patients through cancer treatments. Her cancer care team headed by RN/MSA Mensa Hasonovic masterfully led me through a treatment program that I can only describe as a cancer concierge service. I was literally chaperoned through a complex customized treatment schedule. The added supervision helped compensate for my shock from the cancer diagnosis and difficulty focusing on the details to come. A treatment strategy was mapped out making use of the most advanced medical procedures available. One that would maximize my healing, protect and preserve my quality of life.
Sparing the details, as each patient’s experiences are unique, my cancer required surgeries. Dr. St. John and Dr. Chhetri, both the nation’s top throat and neck surgeons removed the throat cancer and neck affected areas with absolute precision. Also, she helped to place me into a new and highly effective clinical drug trial that eradicated my cancer and preserved my quality of life.
And Dr. Maie St. John and her team saved my life again in more ways then one. During a Pet CT scan follow up a lung nodule was discovered and tracked during my follow-ups. When its size began to change a biopsy was performed that confirmed an early lung cancer tumor unrelated to my throat cancer. A new UCLA lung cancer medical team was assembled to attack this tumor detection with a revolutionary non-intrusive SBRT radiation treatment.
My recovery after my treatments had been going well. And I have my life and future to look forward to again. As a commitment to my healing I’m doing physical therapy on my shoulder/ plexus muscle from nerve damage cause by the cancer. I also lost a substantial amount of weight and my physical therapy rehab was assisted by Sean Haney, an active family member of St. John Bosco, last year’s national championship varsity football program and a devout young strength training lifter. I’ve been working hard to fully regain my health. My hope is to continue entertaining others with my motorcycle travel series… I know, I still can’t believe my recovery has gone so well.
I have a much greater understanding and empathy for those battling cancer and the difficult roads that lie ahead. I am back to surfing and motorcycle adventure travel and I hope to inspire others that there is an exciting life ahead after cancer.
And having the best caring Head and Neck UCLA medical team like Dr. Maie St. John and her staff is the future guiding us as patients “riding remote and alone” in life through cancer.
