OK thank you all. I will call to see if I can get it pushed up as yes, the thought of waiting a month isn't fun. Especially since I am not telling anyone else about it until I know something firm. No sense in scaring my family and friends with my worry before an actual diagnosis.

This ENT no longer does surgery but has been doing it for 40+ years so I think he'll have knowledge in this area. I asked the woman I spoke with about throat cancer and she suggested him over the other two at this practice. I may still call another ENT practice to discuss and try for earlier appt.

Thanks for the input y'all.

Chucky,
Call every morning, and be VERY polite when you ask if there has been a cancellation and if they can fit you in.
Best of luck!
Maria

Good point about being very polite with the office assistants or nurses. If you make a point of remembering their names, it's good too. That way when you call you can mention who said what or ask for them by name and establish a more personal relationship. You might be talking to someone that can reschedule someone else's appointment to get you in sooner. That is what my son's ENT's office did. Later, after they rescheduled someone else's appointment so that my son could see him sooner, and a bit later in his treatment they would call me to see if the appointment we had could be moved a little later to accommodate someone else and of course we always said Yes - we were so grateful that we got in when it was so urgent for us to do so in the beginning. So - good luck with that. Hope you get a much earlier appointment!

I called a different local ENT office that has 10+ ENT doctors in it and was able to get in March 6th. Plus all the docs in this office are in my Health Plan network where only 1 of the three in the other office were.

I feel better knowing I'll have some answers and direction in two weeks vs. 3 and a half. I'll definitely post an update on what I/they/we find out.

Thanks again.

Right on Chuck!

Way to look for answers my friend. We have to be our own advocates and push to find those answers, and when we run into obstacles or answers we feel don't fit the needs of how we want our life to go, we look for another solution. Never stop doing that my friend.

Good luck brotha, keep us posted.

Well I had the appt last Wednesday and the doctor said it looked like a tonsil stone was causing irritation/inflamation to my throat. He didn't look deep into my throat by scoping though, just the normal flat stick and ahhhww type thing and some poking around. Said my neck felt fine and he saw no reason to panic and I didn't have throat cancer.

Needless to say I'm relieved of course. Although my throat still doesn't feel 100% yet it does seem to get a bit better as days go by. I did find it amazing how much fear and anxiety effected me over the course of these weeks though. The mind is a powerful thing!

I'm still a bit paranoid and he suggested I see him in another 6 months, probably just to allay my fears.

Even if in the next couple weeks I feel back to 100% and this was all just a big scare, I'm still done dipping. It's been 33 days since my last dip and I don't miss/crave it. 30 yrs was long enough.

I do have to get an MRI because of hearing loss in my right ear that started 9 yrs ago. So if he missed anything hopefully this will catch it.

Thanks to you all for all the input/support and encouragement. It definitely helped! If I ever do have to come back or know anyone dealing with this I'll definitely be telling them about this place!

Great news and what a relief.
Wonderful stuff on the " no dipping" too.
Enjoy life,
Tammy

Awesome!!!

Good news!