Beth

Interesting you should mention the ER because of new symptoms, a friends concerns and much more pain I did go to the ER yesterday.

I was treated in the hallway by a nurse practitioner whom after I mentioned five symptoms asked if I suffered from panic disorder? She felt my lymph nodes and looked at my tongue and throat, ordered a fast strep test. It was negative. I had mentioned I had seen an ENT and she said well if you have seen a doctor why are you here? The only thing we do is treat your symptoms and refer you to a doctor or specialist.
A doctor also came out looked at my tongue and said he was surprised the ENT didn't do a biopsy. I said the ENT said he didn't see anything that looked suspicious enough to biopsy as in a hard lump.I told him I had an appt with an oral surgeon on December 8th. He thought that was a good idea and said he doubted with the holidays I would be able to see anyone sooner.
No blood tests were done, urine, anything other then bp and temp.
They dx me with Thrush and gave me a script for mouthwash and a note to follow up with an oral surgeon.
Perhaps I'm wrong but I feel if I had good insurance and a job my experience would have been much different.


I have now cancelled my plans to travel to Atlanta four hours away for Thanksgiving as I'm in too much pain for the trip and I know i would be unable to eat anything.

My new symptoms are severe headache for three days,increased ear/jaw pain. Also either I have developed a lot of white lumps on my bottom gums are the bones are showing through.
My upper gum looks abnormal to me also and one area does have a new lesion and it is purple looking.
I showed a friend my mouth and gums and they were very concerned about how it looked and suggested I get to a doctor sooner then the 8th which also prompted my visit to the ER.

I am in shock as to how quickly my mouth is changing.
I don't feel silly about getting my things in order because I have not felt well for over a year.
The truth is I don't plan to have any procedures done if I do have a cancer dx.

First of all I can tell you are a very caring person. It is horrible that you had this illness at such a young age. I admire your strength, dignity and optimism.
So please know that my question comes from deep respect for you.
You say you had similar symptoms to me and you believe it was acid reflux, which is what I was told also. Do you think it is possible that was not the cause and I ask this since you were dx at stage 3? To me it just proves my point that my dx is wrong. You had to have had a stage one and two.....you were under medical care and yet dx came at stage 3. How much time elapsed between your dx of acid reflux and your dx of stage 3 cancer?
My thoughts are because of your age you didn't fit the profile. The reason I don't fit the profile is that I never smoked.

As you can see I don't have much faith in doctors but I do have faith in science,It is absolute. So if I receive a biopsy then that I will believe. Maybe if doctors were doing more reading and actually listening to patients then there would be more dx of stage one and two and less three and four.
My fear comes from the fact that we are always reactive rather then proactive.

MY favorite quote is by Albert Einstein
"Insanity is doing exactly the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

Lastly it is true I may not have cancer but I do have an illness that is greatly impacting the quality of my life and it is not acid reflux or Thrush!!!!!!!!

Warmest Regards
Brenda