Hi Gabe,
The MRI was a protracted process which took about an hour and a half. I had contrast injected and there was a fair concentration on my blood vessels, but also said they would be doing a check for suspect nodes and other signs of my cancer. I have dropped the films (for some reason it wasn't put onto a disc)to the Plastic Surgeon today, but haven't seen the report, which was being faxed to her.

My next appointment is on Thursday for a PET scan and then I'm going to a Head and Neck Oncology clinic where I will see my ENT Surgeon and Plastic Surgeon, amongst others, to get the results and run through the proposed surgery (in a bit more detail given they will have the MRI and PET scan results).

When I saw the Plastic Surgeon last week she indicated that my ENT would remove all the suspect/unstable tissue and then she and another Plastic Surgeon would take over. She seemed to think that the ENT would take 1 to 2 hours and then she would take another 4 to 5 hours. It'll be my longest surgery but a short one compared to yours. There was no mention of me being in ICU afterwards but I was told that my Hospital stay may be for 2 weeks.

Thursday for me is D day. I don't normally get stressed but I'm really scared that something unexpected will show up. I'm working up until Wednesday, then I plan to be off work for at least 2 months as a minimum (according to the Plastic Surgeon).

We have another trip planned for the 14th May, this time for 3 weeks to New York, Niagara Falls and Washington, with another couple. I'm hoping that if all goes to plan I will be fit to travel and that I'll be able to catch up with my daughter again.

Sue G