You'll be fine !!! So glad the ulcer is gone - I find my neck stiffens up too it's sometimes positional like the day after a 12 hr bus ride from NYC my neck was so stiff my acupuncturist bent 2 of his needles before stabbing me with a big one ! If you can't palpate anything in your neck you should be ok! I know it's sometimes hard to listen to your instincts (I'm still learning) but my healer - friend told me - listen to your heart where your health is concerned it will lead you - how do you feel? Other than your worry... If you feel great then your body is telling you someting! I'd had the sore in my mouth forever - id had a Biopsy - id had my tooth filed down, I'd had allergy tests I was on a special diet etc. I was going to weight watchers as I had 20lbs to lose - week 4 - I lost 4.5 lbs (now I was active and eating well - this wasn't an unusual amount). However I was suddenly overcome by this fear and this urgency and knew I had to have this sore dealt with. I was in the drs office the next day - and had it biopsied a week later and I just "knew" it was cancer. I think we sometimes feel a little betrayed by our bodies - especially I we are healthy and careful (I mean seriously I was a veg head!!!!!!) so it takes a while to trust them again. But all through my rads and chemo my head and heart were telling me to do certain things to alleviate the fallout from treatments and not only did it work -I would find out after the fact that these were things peoples drs would suggest. It's all about listening. I know this doesn't alleviate your nervousness or kick the scary thoughts out of the back of your mind - but do try to listen to what your body is telling you on a basic level. Sometimes your head over thinks things - your heart has to step up to keep it in check! That said I hear what you are saying about choices! Our system here is very similar but what a lot of people don't know is we do have choices - they just accept that your dr knows best, he will send you to the best because you are his patient etc... Well... Yes most do care - not all - often they will send to who is available - and not neccessarily the best (frankly the local hospital here only has 4 oncologists!!! Two which are not great and two of which are mediocre!) so unless you research and do your homework and learn to work through the system, you could technically be screwed! (in this case I simply told hem I wanted to be treated by this dr.at this ccc And the referral was made - and I faxed it and ALL my records and scans to this dr, myself!) and no their secretaries will not always go the extra step to push for you. - which is why I dealt with the appointments etc.
we have a great system, but it still needs some tweaking! Hav a great weekend and don't let your concern (or this disease ) erode your enjoyment of life... It can be a terrible thief! hugs!