Last week I had a visit w/my doc regarding a new painful growth under my chin where my tongue used to be. He poked around and thought it probably was an impacted/blocked salivary gland (I seem to have an OVERabundance of saliva, but I've been told it just seems that way as I no longer have most of my tongue to swallow it) so I began to relax. They did a CT scan just to be sure and when I didn't hear from them after a few days, I thought it was nothing to worry about.
This evening I get home from work (yes, still trying to do home repair/improvement-keeps my mind and body busy!) and there are 2 messages -one from my doc himself. He's the head of the surgery dept at Emory -so he's never called me personally. The other is from the new Winship cancer (also Emory) institute to "make an appointment".
I find myself back in the throes of doubt, fear, anxiety re this whole experience. Hey, I thought I was more "evolved" than this! What gives? I've been through it before and we seem to've gotten every potential major problem BEFORE it bacame that way. I'm almost OBSESSING about this-but, thank God I'll know what it going to entail by this time tomorrow. Am I "giving in"? giving up? what?
Anyone else found themselves in this most peculiar boat?


SCC right tonsil Dx 14 Feb 03
No surg till Apr 03
Lip resection Sep 05 "frankenface"
Recurr Apr 10
2/3 tongue removed Jun 10
SPEECH/SWALLOW/DROOL challenges FUN!
Dec 10 Tumor @ nodes/larynx/cart artery growing
Erbitux Mar 11 Hyoid bone regrows!?
recur Dec 12
begin taxo chemo
10yrs-still kickin!