Hi Everyone. My name is Wendy. Im 46 years old. I dont smoke or drink and have good dental hygiene....and I have tongue cancer. Specifically, Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

It never occurred to me that I would have Cancer, so when I noticed what looked like a bite/split in my tongue in October 2016....I thought it was just that. So , it was a little sore , not bad really. Nothing that Anbesol or Orajel couldn't fix. Except, it didn't go away. I thought, maybe my back teeth were irritating it....so I bought a Night guard. It helped somewhat..so I waited. Several weeks later, still not healed..except this time...there seemed to be a raised ridge near the cut...and it was very tender. More orajel and anbesol.

I began to WebMD and Google it up. All the posts suggests going to the dentists, getting an oral cancer screening. By now it was after the New Year....and I began to really worry. I told my family of my fears and the pain. I was having trouble eating and the area was more painful. They suggested I go to the doctor. My main concern..NO insurance, no money. So, I fretted about it. Googled every thing I could think of...until finally, one night I broke down crying. My parents and brother were so disturbed by my outburst...I literally was shutting down. They just didnt know how to handle me.

The very next day, I looked into insurance. Specifically, Cancer insurance. Just in case. My parents and brother, thought I was over reacting, but let me do it anyway, as I was becoming frantic with worry and not sleeping. So, i signed up for Lump sum cancer policies. The only draw back...there is a 30 day waiting period before it comes into effect. So....I waited.

Well...30 days came and went. During that time, I went through several bottles of anbesol and tubes of orajel. When I made sure that I met the time requirement on my policies..It was now Mid-March . I went looking for a Dentist to do the Oral Cancer Screening. I have never been sick..and i should have had a family doc, but ...what can I say..hind sight is 20/20. I went to 6 different dentists and no one would see me....one dentist office receptionist actually laughed at me when i suggested that I needed to see the Dentist for the Oral Cancer Screening, which by the way was on their website as one of their services, she laughed and said .."what did you do ...google it?!". Needless to say, I did not stay . After no luck finding a dentist...my dad recommended his ENT. I called but could not get to see him, but another ENT would see me. I jumped at the appointment.

April 4 2017---I saw the ENT. He took a quick peek at it, after poking it with a tongue depressor, which made me tear up, he prescribed a dental paste for ulcers and told me to come back in 3 weeks. $260 for the appointment $80 for a teeny tiny tube of paste and I was out of the office in 17 minutes. The ointment was painful...it felt like it was ripping skin off my sore tongue everytime. Said find a dentist to file your teeth down...or get some dental wax to cover my back teeth.

April 19 2017---Aspen Dental called and said they had a cancellation and could I come in the next 20 minutes. I hopped in the car and was there. I explained my situation. They were so kind..first time visit...no charge for exam or xrays...but the hygienist said we should do the Oral Cancer Screening--$70---15 minutes later----dentist comes in..no I do not need to have my teeth filed...they were fine....but the test was positive with the Visalite Scope, and I should get a biopsy asap.

April 21 2017--painful punch biopsy....sprayed some benzocaine in my mouth....gave me a numbing shot....told me to pull out my tongue and hold it...and WHAM! SNIP! Done. I can tell you right now....I am a wimp. I nearly passed out..yep. I cried. It bled for a total of 5 seconds. But hurt like....well someone had just cut a piece of your tongue off.

April 25 2017----today....he took a brief ..i mean brief 2 second peek at the lesion. Then sits down and tells me --- ,"You have Cancer. Its going to be a long road ahead of you". It was, truly what I had feared. He was brief and to the point. Frankly, I heard only snippets, thank the Lord, for bringing a family member, because i heard....Ct scan, neck dissection, tumor removal, lymph nodes, radiation, and sick. That is all I can remember. He escorted me to the lady who makes appointments. I begin Thursday, 2 days from now.

What am I gonna do?.......