Last night I was looking online doing some research. I found this website and decided to join. I posted some things and I dont think that I posted them in the right place... so I am going to paste it all here. But first I wanted to say that I am not doing all of this to be over dramatic or anything. I may be a little young to even think anything like this, but still there is always the possibility. I wanted to join to get some sort of direction on what to do from here and the only way I could do that is to join. I want to say that I am not here to say that I can relate to what any of you are going through but only to ask questions, to understand, IF my situation to turns into my worst nightmare.

posted April 12, 2007 11:38 PM
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You will have to excuse me I am new at this.
My name is Kate. I am 21 years old and mother of a beautiful baby boy. If someone asked me 5 years ago if I was afraid to die, I would tell them no not at all. If someone asked me today I would tell them you bet.
The truth is, I dont know if I do have cancer. The jury is still out on that one. I have waited 5 months to find out, and my day is soon coming. My life has not been easy at all. Every time I turned around someone in my family was passing from some sort of cancer. I always thought that it wouldnt happen to me. That if I was feeling sick that I wouldnt go see the docter. I thought that they were the ones that put the idea in your head that you were deathly ill and your brain would just give up any hope of surviving the horrible test that god put infront of you. I always believed that life was a race against time. When it was our time then it was our time. Ofcourse I was saying this because it was never happening to me.
Before I got sick I decided to settle down and have a family. I thought that nothing could touch me, proud first parent (you know cloud nine). Now that I have this test infront of me, im scared. I pray every day that its nothing... I just have a REALLY bad virus.. or a cold that ive had for 5months. Where do I go from here?
Some people think that if your the person that lives minute to minute that it shouldnt shock you. You should be prepared for anything, because you never sat down to think of the what would of's. I guess that I never thought about it either until now.
Tonight I saw this web site and saw all of the amazing stories. I wanted you all to know that I would be proud to be one of you. You all have so much strength that I cant even relate to. Just reading what all of you had to say gave me that little bit of hope that I think that I was looking for tonight. And I wanted to say thankyou to all of you. God Bless.

posted April 13, 2007 12:48 PM
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I go to my ENT on tuesday the 17th. Thats when I will find out. Hopefully it will be a good result.
When I got sick, I was having problems with my insurance company. Thats just the luck that I have. So I had to go to the emergency room. My symptoms were soars in the back of my throat, face swollen, 5 lumps in neck, lump under arm, and a really bad headache. They did the usuall blood work and throat culture. They couldnt find anything. They tested me for everything under the sun. They sent me home and told me that it was probably just a virus and stress. They gave me an antibiotic and xanex, and said that if symptoms worsen or dont go away then to go see my primary. Ten days later after the antibiotic my symptoms were no where near gone but worse. I tried to go to my primary but they wouldnt see me because of my insurance. That darn luck again! So I went back to the ER because here I am trying to raise a baby alone, and I am really nervouse. They tell me that I need to go see an ENT. So I go back home and make the call. They wont see me because of my INSURANCE... and I dont have the $200 to dish out (not a wealthy person). So the only thing that I can do is wait... and wait. Finally I got my insurance all straightend out 4 months later... not any better by the way, but only worse. My headaches are so bad that some days I cant get out of bed, but cant lay down. So I go see my primary thinking that they would probably tell me the same thing that the er doc said. This time they put me on penacilon and told me to go see the ENT. So I go home and make the call. The ENT doesnt have an app. available for another month. So meanwhile I finish the antibiotic again... but nothing getting better or worse at this point. I dont think that if I was worse I would notice... just really tired. The more I look online with my symptoms the more fear I have, until I found this site. Up until now I thought I was the only one that had to be in this rat race. But it made me feel better that I wasnt the only person out there that had to experience this. That is why I was soo moved, because I really thought that i was the only one with such bad luck.
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Posts: 4 | From: Orlando Florida | Registered: Apr 2007 | IP: Logged

Hey Katie.
So glad you got out of activism. Sit tight, I hear'em coming! Petey

Katie,
typically it is recommended that you give the antibiotics 2 full weeks to work and then, if there is no response, you should get a referal to an ENT. Sometime infections in the oral cavity can be difficult to treat. Infections can also cause the lymph glands to swell up and sometimes even be tender to the touch which is normal. We don't often see people here in your age group but you should push for that referal if you don't respond in the proper time frame for your own piece of mind. There are many other things it could be besides oral cancer. Peri-tonsillar abcess comes to mind and can take months of antiobiotic therapy. Please keep us up to date on whatever happens.

Okay the whole Peri-tonsillar abcess thing is jiberish to me. I was on antibiotics twice in 5 months both Penicilin for 10 days each time. Peri- tonsillar? Is that if you do have tosills? Because I dont. Not trying to be the biggest pain.. just trying to understand. I am going to an ENT for more observation. I may be young but the fact is, is that almost everyone in my family has cancer. I think that is the only reason that I am looking more into this, you know if worse comes to worse. As long as I am prepared.

Katie, here's a link to some info about PTA

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020101/93.html

Even if you had your tonsils removed as a child, if they don't remove every bit, they can grow back. The tonsils are all lymph tissue.

In the following article it states that "recurrences have occured in patients who underwent tonsillectomy".

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic417.htm

You are wise to find a definitive answer from a qualified doctor. Some younger people tend to get blown off by doctors because you are not in the statistically high risk group - that is no reason why they shouldn't take you seriously.

And no, you not being a pain, you are just naturally scared of having oral cancer (I was scared of having PTA!). Oral cancer has not shown much evidence of having genetics play a role. Unlike other forms of cancer, it is not passed from generation to generation. There could be a genetic weakness that predisposes your family to cancer but cancer is so prevalent in our world it would be hard to tell. Practically ALL families have some members who have had cancer. Recently major studies have been initiated to explore this.

Cancer is about 50% of the worldwide overall death rate. Heart disease takes up most of the rest.

Katie, I can't add to the advice that Gary has given...nor the comforting, reassuring words. He's one of our best counselors. I just want to assure you that NO question is too small or too large, and that you do not need to hesitate to ask anything at all, nor do you need to worry about being a pain. It's a scary time for you, but we've all been through it, and we're all at differing stages of the fight against this disease. We've all hoped that we didn't have it, and we've all either had the glorious experience of having tests show us that it was something else, or the spirit-shattering revelation that yes, it was cancer and that we would have a fight on our hands. Either way it goes for you, every one of us understands your feelings, either of terror or of relief, and we'll be here to rejoice with you or to walk the difficult path with you back to good health. Stay near!!

Katie,

Do not ever feel like you are being a pain or crazy or anything else. We have all been there and you are asking becuase you don't know the answer. Colleen is right, Gary is a great source of information and support ( I think we are all great support) but some of dont have as much knowledge. 1st and foremost though is to go to a Dr who can diag your problems whether it be Oral cancer or somthing else..We all hope that you do not have to continue in this group for the reason of being Diag with the disease , But if you are , you will have the biggest support group, you will hear from a bunch of people you have never met and will touch your heart in ways you never thought possible from words on a screen. They will encourage you and Scold you(LOL) They are brutally honest when need be , and I for 1 wouldnt have it any other way . They will be here every step of your journey if you want them to. So AS much as I have told you about these amzingly wonderful people..we still hope for the best for you and that you dont have to stay a memeber of the group " Nobody really wants to belong to". I know many of us except private messages, emails and even phone calls ! So you can ask and we are here . But 1st things 1st ...your Diag . One step at a time one day at a time and all things are possible.

Well thankyou for all of your information... I appriciate it very much. I feel much better that I can go to my ENT and have a better understanding. Thanks again.