Long time, no post. Not that I haven�t been reading, but I have been living life, and all is good. Except, I thought I would share some post issues, and list out what�s up lately.
In the last five years, I�ve adjusted to my new mouth/throat/neck anatomy. I went through speech therapy, as I kept getting nodules and polyps on my vocal chords. That seemed to have helped, because they haven�t happened since.

Every ENT visit, his only observation was a lot of dryness down my throat. In the front of my mouth, there is plenty of saliva, but on the backside, it�s sparse (to say the least). My tongue on the right side has also become slightly deformed. Atrophy or something like that. Only when I stick it way out can you notice. No biggie to me, as I rarely stick my tongue out at people.

Any who, about a few months ago, I started to notice that food was getting harder to swallow. I am not sure if I got back to my old habits (eat like a dog), and not fully chew my food, or use enough liquid to swallow, but I make an effort to get it right now. Swallowing pills is getting harder too, even with a lot of water. My ENT has recommended a GI to check it out. The other symptom that I get a lot is that I feel and hear liquids like they aren�t fully in my stomach. I am pretty sure these are all related, and I�ll see the GI DR (probably my esophagus has become really small) after I deal with the reason I am posting in the first place.

A little over a month ago, I caught a cold/bug, which was all upper respiratory. It seemed worse on my left side, but I figured with all the radiation and stuff, my lymph system doesn�t work like a normal one does. After a few days, I was feeling around and found a lump (2 cm), painless, and kind of hard, on the left side. It was hard to find, as you have to press through the scar tissue under my jaw, and feel through the floor of the mouth. Knowing the drill, I went and hand my PCP look at it and he confirmed my cold, and thought the sublingual gland/node was swollen. He prescribed the antibiotics, and I took them for 7 days�.. Cold gone, no change in the lump.

I then went to my ENT, who at first couldn�t find it, but then when I showed him, was stumped. Since it is on the opposite side, it would be unrelated to the original event, but it could be �anything�. He wasn�t happy about which antibiotic I had, so his prescribed a stronger one, and I am at the end of that two week cycle, with no change. We already talked about the sequence of events, which is a follow up on Friday (Oct 7), and then he�ll order the scans. Those will probably be next week. If he still can�t identify what it is, he�ll go right to taking it out, and do a biopsy. All of which I am good with. It�s nothing until it is something, right.
The reason I am optimistic is that it on the opposite side. My primary was occult, so unless something is midline, it wouldn�t be exactly related. But I do wonder if it is related from my treatments from 5 years ago (radiation). Time will tell, and I�ll update this as it happens.

My message to those people looking for post issues is be prepared for them, but don�t freak out. You�re experienced with the worst of it, and you are now familiar with the drill. Check and patrol your head, neck, and mouth for changes, and report everything to your DRs. Most of the time, it�s just your body reeling from the hell you wnt through, and settling into your new normal. And if you do discover �something� that is something, you are nipping it in the bud. There is no such thing as crying wolf when it comes to these post issues.

CHEERS
Mike

Congrats on the five years that's great!!! Hoping that this node issue is nothing... Hugs and take care!!

Mike, glad to read you're doing so well 5 years out, and hope that the new lump is nothing to be worried about. Keep us posted.

Thanks, Mike, for sharing your experiences. I get a lot of comfort hearing from people who are so many years out and also a lot of practical advice. And thanks for reminding me that I am "experienced with the worst of it." And what a boot camp it was. I am "merely" six months post TX and, this may sound funny, but I have only just realized this week - due to a scare I am having with a mouth ulcer they want to biopsy - that in many ways my journey with cancer is just beginning. Until this scare I wasn't really thinking about how real (and scary) recurrence is. It is like a thin veil covering my world. Your post is a good reminder to take it all in stride. I am trying. Good luck to you. -Michelle

I guess it all depends on how well you adjust to the new you. I myself have found a peace with myself, and I who I am. I truly believe that I am a better person, who is living life to its fullest potential. I take inspiration from so many places, and incorporate it into my life as I live it.

With that said, I had my ENT follow up on Friday (October 7th). When he felt my bump, he stated he really didn�t think it was much of anything, as it was on the opposite side of the original occurrence. He ordered a CT scan just �because of the history�, it was the right thing to do. Of course, later on, I over thought it, and started to think that he was just being nice so I wouldn�t worry. But then, what does that change. We all know the drill, so what is there to worry about. I am not in denial, but there is nothing that can be said or done without the facts. I always read that �it�s nothing until it�s something� on the board, and it rings true.

On Thursday, I had my CT scan, with a follow up scheduled on Monday (Oct 17). All and all, it�s going by the book. All part of the post treatment drill that we become accustom to.

Now the curveball. I picked up the film on Friday, to bring to my Monday appointment. Well, being a �House� fan, I did my best impersonation of Cr House, and started to review the film. When I had the scan, we put a marker on near the spot. Well, I sure can see it. My first reaction is that I am not crazy. There it is, plain as day. But then, the size of it wasn�t anything shocking. Maybe a marble sized clear margin kind of lump. Then, I thought since they went into my chest a bit, I would look at my esophagus, as I have been having food get stuck in my throat (after my windpipe, but before my stomach). As I followed the film slices down, at the end, the tube varied off to the right because o f some mass. Boy o boy, did I get going. That had to be the worst few hours of my life. The mass was in inches.
But upon further review (aka Google // other CT Scans), I discovered that t was my Trachea, not esophagus, and that the mass was my aorta crossing over. This was all normal stuff. This brought me back to earth, and the reminder that I am not a doctor, and I could get really lost trying to interpret what I am seeing.
All and all, I am back in my �[post treatment mode�, just following the process we all know to do. The professionals will look and advise. I trust the team of experts I have relied on over the last 5 or 6 years. I also have the other opinion route, should I doubt anything, but I have never had to pull that card. Once you establish a good, open dialog with your caregivers, you establish a relationship which takes you through the post treatment flair ups.
If this does become something, I�ll hop over to the recurrence section, but for now, it is what it is. Another one of the post treatment goodies we experience.

For those just getting through, or are still n it, this is not a bad thing. A lot of lessons you learn going through the treatments is something that will guide you in future experiences, regardless of what it is (side effects, recurrences, or something that has nothing to do with nothing). What doesn�t kill you only makes you stronger, and hopefully my words and experiences show you that to be true.

Cheers and I will update sometime next week after my follow up on the Scan

Michelle, best of luck to you too.

Mike

Mike, keeping the positive energy flowing your way.

Thanks Dave�. Will do.

Just left my ENT and I have an update. The thing that I went for is something he isn�t too worried about, (nor am I), but there is a sub mental lymph node that is midline (slightly left), in the same area that bears watching. It is 1.1 cm�s, which is the high side of normal. After talking about it for a while, we came to the conclusion that we will watch it, and revisit it next month.

Why? Knowing the pluses and minuses, the scan showed all other lymph nodes to be just like they are suppose to be, and with this only being one, and is still within the size limits, why jump right to surgery? Yes, I could have twisted his arm, and he said he would if I did, but why? I try to be logical about things, and it seems very logical to watch it. It is now baseline, so we have something to go against. I already set my appointment for next month, so I am not dragging anything out. This is just part of the �post issues� we all go through.
Am I worried that it could be something, sure, but who doesn�t. Hopefully, for those reading, the after treatment issues are normal, and they are not always �OMG�s�. Part of our �post life� is using the skills and knowledge we learn during the whole episode, and apply them to what happens next. I�ll do my best to post how this all goes.

Cheers,
Mike