I found this site on July 5, the day I received the diagnosis of verrucous carcinoma. Go ahead, Google those words. The first few words Wikipedia uses to define it are 'snuff dipper's cancer'.
I started in High School as a our Vo Ag class found a pouch of Red Man that some construction worker left on the job site in 1973. As a farmer working outside, it kept me alert and going on long, 18 hour days. My sweet wife disapproved, but finally after several arguments, she promised she would never say anything again. I tended to hide it from my 4 kids and friends. this went on for about 10 years, until 1987 when the Lord convicted to quit.
That lasted for about 6-9 months. We were going through a nasty breakup of a business partnership with my parents. That, along with feeling let down by the Lord that MY plans were not working out had me in a bad place to start up again. I remember stopping at a gas station where they had individual Swisher Perfecto's on the counter for like a dime. I figure, 'hey, just one or two chews ain't gonna hurt'. Big mistake, HUGE! I found the Swishers made a really nice, neat plug. 3 plugs to a cigar. No bulky pouches, No dippers teeth. That was 1988.
I half heartedly tried to quit in the last 28 years. But really had no motivation. A cancer diagnosis at age 61 is definite motivation. Fortunately, the tumor was on my big toe. Most of the verrucous carcinoma's are in the oral cavity; mouth, throat, lips, cheeks. Go ahead, look at some of the Google Images it brings up. Some of the other locations on the body are the extremities; hands, feet and even the genitals! Thank God my tumor did not show up there! Would that have stopped us from chewing if someone had told us we could get a tumor on our penis? Probably not for me, until it happened...
I stopped chewing the day after My diagnosis, July 6, so around 60 days in. The Fog and irritability the first week were not fun. My sweet wife of 41 years has been very supportive. I went to a friend's dispersal auction two weeks ago, that is when the anxieties really started. I really don't want to go on any prescription anti-anxiety meds. Hoping that this will soon pass. been using seeds, but don't like the 'mouth feel' / cauterization because of the salt. Also been chewing on alfalfa stems. Not as splintery as tooth picks, but not real practical when we go down to the Carribean to help a dying relative in two weeks. Would be tempted to try the fake stuff, but figure I have got this far. Really don't want to get 'hooked' on something else.
I had Moh's surgery on my big toe on August 4. They took about half my toe off, scraping the bone to hopefully 'get' all of the cancer. My prognosis is OK, the cancer won't kill me. There is a 10 % chance it could come back at the same location, at which time they would have to amputate my big toe. But for any one that has chewed, the risk of this carcinoma will be out there for a long time. Thanks for your Website, along with the information and support therein.
SwishNoMo
