Hi Everyone,

So, I figure I now need to hope on the internet and become informed. I avoided google while I was waiting for my first biospy results as I was, as expected, hoping it was just a simple benign lesion. Well, the whirlwind has started and there is no denial that I am now a cancer patient.

Here is my journey so far.

On June 28th, I had a routine dental cleaning (a new dentist for me, one I had been wanting to switch to for 18 months...and yes, that means it had been 18months since my last cleaning) While she was cleaning my teeth she noticed a purplish spot on the roof of my mouth. She took a picture and the dentist wanted to watch it, but thought it could just be an injury from a tortilla chip ect. Went back a week later and it had changed to a more grey and white color and a bump was slightly formed. My dentist was going to be closed for a week for the July 4th holiday and said he wanted to see me as soon as he reopend on July 11th. We were out of town that week so I saw him again on July 18th, he right away said I need to make an appointment with the oral surgeon and he want to make sure I made that appointment ASAP! He said to take this serious and it is very very urgent!

So, I saw the oral surgeon and he indeed said this lesion needed a biospy, it was removed on July 28th, he said he got the entire legion and things went well. On Aug 3rd I went back in for after surgery check and the biospy results. My oral surgeon was shocked to give us the news that it was cancer, mucoepidermoid , the tumor graded a low 2 but with no margins (I am not exactly still sure what all this means. So now referred to Dr Futran at Univ of Washington Med Center...great Dr. so that was a sigh of relief as I did not have to "shop around".

On Aug 10th I had a CT scan and that came out clear, nothing in the bones or lymph system...but I am scheduled for the 2nd surgery (resection) and biopsy on Aug 31st. He said it should be straighforward and no bones will be disturbed. So much more was said but quite a blurr right now. He said they will re-grade the cancer as a whole and we will go from there. Of course the word radiation came up but surgery might just get it all.

So, this is my week to get things in order. I am a 39 year old mom of 3 boys, ages 9,8 and 6. I am very healthy so this really shocked me! I homeschool my kids and we love every minute of it so I need to pre-plan a tiny bit for the possibillity that recovery might be a long road...but praying for the best outcome!

It has been a crazy few weeks, not much sleep and I have soe pain in my jaw after my first surgery (due to teeth sensitivity) and a very dry mouth which wakes me up when I actually do fall asleep. I am not sure what to think as this is a while new set of terms for me. I get the whole lingo thin as I am a pilot...but never thought I would have to learn a whole to lingo!

Thanks for listening....