indiogrl's Cancer Blog
August 4, 2008
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So in February 2007 I had a cold, and noticed a lump in my neck which I thought was just a swollen lymph node due to the cold. But the cold got better and the lump didn’t go away. Tried a couple of different antibiotics, and by the end of May had an ultrasound and then a CT scan of the lump. My surgeon really thought it was just a benign cyst, but he thought we should remove it just to be sure.
So on May 29 I had surgery. They took a sample of the lump up to pathology and reported back…. no cancer! So I went home to heal for a couple of days.
Two days later I got a call back. The doctor wanted to check the stitches, so could I please come in first thing in the morning? So before I went to work, I stopped off at the doctor’s to let him look at my neck. That’s when they told me – the full pathology report had found cancerous cells in my lymph node.
So it was time to develop a plan. My doctor really believed the primary source of the cancer was my right tonsil. They couldn’t see anything on the CT scan, but he told me his feeling was very strong that it was the tonsil. On June 12, I went in for more surgery. They removed both my tonsils and did what is called a radical neck dissection – that is basically where they remove a bunch of lymph nodes and tissue from the area where the cancer was found.
The surgery confirmed the doctors feeling – there was a tumor on my right tonsil. The next steps involved radiation and chemotherepy. The surgery was bad for a few days but nothing – I mean nothing – compared to the radiation and chemo. I would do that surgery 10 times over to avoid the other. But you can’t do that. So I figured I’d just get through it and be strong. I really did not know what I was in for…. which looking back on it, I think was probably a good thing.
Thanks for your support -
Heidi,
Sounds like you are on the path to recovery. That is awesome!
Keep us posted and God’s speed.
Mac
I’m glad you’re getting back to “normal” – a new normal anyway. I was diagnosed in January, 2007. I went through chemo, surgery (still going through more surgeries) and radiation. Now I’m finished as well, but mentally it’s still very hard to adjust to life as it used to be. It will never be the same. In some ways, cancer changes your whole perspective for the better. Getting cancer is not a “gift” from God, I don’t believe, but it does “give” positive changes in your outlook, gives you more clarity on what the important things in life are, and helps you realize just how strong you really are. ** I used to live in Farmington Hills when I was just out of college. I lived with two other girlfriends in an apartment off of Haggerty Road and 13 Mile. I grew up in Walled Lake! We’re now in Cleveland. I miss it back in Michigan though. Take care and keep us posted! Soon maybe we’ll go a day – or two – without thinking of cancer.