Hello to all - 10-17-2008 04:36 PM
Hello, I am fairly new here. I have been lurking for awhile. Reading other post. Getting an idea who everything works.
Thought I would just jump in and let everyone know I am here, and maybe a little bit about me and my situation.
Spring of 07 I went to my Doc. I had an ear ache deep inside my right ear. Doc couldn't find anything causing it. Called it an allergy. Told me to take sudefed. I went home. Sudefed alone was not enough but OTC pain meds controlled it so I took them both. The pain went away that summer and returned during the fall. I don't remember the ear ache went I quit smoking in March of this year. I remember telling my hubby that it sucked that he didn't have any with drawls from smoking not even a sore thoat. I know that in July my ear and my throat hurt (right side) so bad that I told the hubby that when I got back from my vacation I was going to the Dr. Which of course I did not do. Must have been in the end on July or begining of Aug. that my tooth. (right rear molar) started to scream. I hate the dentist, so I haven't been in sometime. This tooth was bad and I thought that MAYBE it could have been the problem the whole time. I saw the dentist on a Wed. The tooth could not be saved. I noticed something at that dentist appt. I noticed that I couldn't open my mouth. It just would not open. Not because of pain, though it does hurt. I didn't think anything of it, and I guess the dentist didn't notice because other than "open wider" he didn't say a thing. When I got home I felt better! It must have been the tooth, right? WRONGE. Friday I just didn't feel good. Just lazy. On Sat. I went out and did some yard work. I live in Florida so it got too hot to work outside I came in and took a nap. Woke up and my neck looked like I had the mumps! This time I went to the Dr. He said it was a peritonsillar abscess. Gave me a shot of anitbiotics and sent me home with more antibiotics. Went back to the Dr. 10 days later for more meds as the ones he gave me didn't work. He gave me 7 more days of antibiotics and told me that if this didn't work I would have to have it drained. It didn't work. On 9/8 I went to the ENT he says if I don't have an tonsillectomy, I'll end up with a trac. I get the tonsillectomy the next day. (wouldn't you?) On 9/23 I go back for a recheck and get nailed with a Squamous Cell Carcinoma in my tonsils. After that it's all a blur. This is what I know I have had a PET scan it showed that is is at Stage IV It is still in the back of my throat, back of my tongue, and lymph nodes on both sides of my neck. I waiting to start chemo and radiation, after that I get to have a little more surgery. I had PEG tube and a Mediport put in on the 8th of OCT. I am a 40 year old, white female, there is no cancer running in my family. The Chemo Dr. thinks that I may have HPV and he is having my tonsils tested for the verus. I guess I will learn the results of that test when I go back and get this thing started. I have no insurance. I am now on Floridas Medically Needy program. As I am indeed Medically Needy. I am a pessimist by birth. And love to be a cynical smart a**. I spell terribly and don't see anything like spell check for the forum! And I ramble.
It's nice to meet you all.
Amy
Thought I would just jump in and let everyone know I am here, and maybe a little bit about me and my situation.
Spring of 07 I went to my Doc. I had an ear ache deep inside my right ear. Doc couldn't find anything causing it. Called it an allergy. Told me to take sudefed. I went home. Sudefed alone was not enough but OTC pain meds controlled it so I took them both. The pain went away that summer and returned during the fall. I don't remember the ear ache went I quit smoking in March of this year. I remember telling my hubby that it sucked that he didn't have any with drawls from smoking not even a sore thoat. I know that in July my ear and my throat hurt (right side) so bad that I told the hubby that when I got back from my vacation I was going to the Dr. Which of course I did not do. Must have been in the end on July or begining of Aug. that my tooth. (right rear molar) started to scream. I hate the dentist, so I haven't been in sometime. This tooth was bad and I thought that MAYBE it could have been the problem the whole time. I saw the dentist on a Wed. The tooth could not be saved. I noticed something at that dentist appt. I noticed that I couldn't open my mouth. It just would not open. Not because of pain, though it does hurt. I didn't think anything of it, and I guess the dentist didn't notice because other than "open wider" he didn't say a thing. When I got home I felt better! It must have been the tooth, right? WRONGE. Friday I just didn't feel good. Just lazy. On Sat. I went out and did some yard work. I live in Florida so it got too hot to work outside I came in and took a nap. Woke up and my neck looked like I had the mumps! This time I went to the Dr. He said it was a peritonsillar abscess. Gave me a shot of anitbiotics and sent me home with more antibiotics. Went back to the Dr. 10 days later for more meds as the ones he gave me didn't work. He gave me 7 more days of antibiotics and told me that if this didn't work I would have to have it drained. It didn't work. On 9/8 I went to the ENT he says if I don't have an tonsillectomy, I'll end up with a trac. I get the tonsillectomy the next day. (wouldn't you?) On 9/23 I go back for a recheck and get nailed with a Squamous Cell Carcinoma in my tonsils. After that it's all a blur. This is what I know I have had a PET scan it showed that is is at Stage IV It is still in the back of my throat, back of my tongue, and lymph nodes on both sides of my neck. I waiting to start chemo and radiation, after that I get to have a little more surgery. I had PEG tube and a Mediport put in on the 8th of OCT. I am a 40 year old, white female, there is no cancer running in my family. The Chemo Dr. thinks that I may have HPV and he is having my tonsils tested for the verus. I guess I will learn the results of that test when I go back and get this thing started. I have no insurance. I am now on Floridas Medically Needy program. As I am indeed Medically Needy. I am a pessimist by birth. And love to be a cynical smart a**. I spell terribly and don't see anything like spell check for the forum! And I ramble.
It's nice to meet you all.
Amy