Laura,

Before I tell you about my Double surgery, & the fact that I'm now on antibiotics because I have another Pneumonia-- let me first Correct you-- I didn't say Nothing showed up on my scans.
Of Course, my 6.3 Centimeter monster tongue tumor showed up & all 3 recurrences showed up to. In fact, even my current pre-malignant tumor showed up, in my December PET scan. This last scan my entire esophagus Lit Up, as did my base of tongue & larynx.

The one that did not show up, was the one that metastasized to my lower lip, from my tongue. Or, it was a new Primary ?? Or, it spread by my PNI ??
Whatever the case , it never showed up on the scans. How did we discover it? Surgery and pathology.

Ok, Thursday's double surgery. My 2 surgeons were in the hall talking, as I walked in. I got there at 5:15 am, ... They did Intubate me-- Endotracheal intubation to establish an airway... Surgery was over 2 hours...
3 biopsies submitted to Pathology lab, I was expecting only 2. But I can see a Punch, in the back of mouth, right side. So, no idea yet about that one.
The deep biopsy and then Laser surgery, to lesion beside vocal cords , caused bleeding and if one can fathom it-- my Speech became even worse than usual.
To add to it, the second surgery in front mouth, with sutures...just added to the poor speech! I truly don't see how anyone understands me!!

The mouth tumor/ lump/ whatever it shakes out to be-- feels So Much Better to have that large painful thing outta there!! I can tolerate the sutures, better than the lump/ growth.
He did have to cut into my tongue Flap-- but since the tongue Flap remains Numb, almost 2 years later-- I don't care!

Pneumonia-- March 19th, my GI doctor's PA heard Crackles in my Lower Left lung. She heard it repeatedly. So, I told my immunologist and he called in Levaquin for 7 days. No one bothered to x Ray me, before my 3 surgeries this week...
So, I come home from Thursday's double surgery, and feel increasing Worse.
My temp spiked to 101.3, which is high for me ( I run very low, 96-97. That's my normal).
I called the on call surgeon ...he said call back
Friday and report again.
Run around... Finally the Anesthesiologist calls me, and orders an x ray.
Which showed pneumonia.
We don't know yet if from Aspiration or if bacterial. But I'm on antibiotics again now.

I'm weak... Tired, nauseated and have awful coughing. They want a Sputum culture....And my goodness, I have tons of new appointments coming up, including more scoping the throat and my next Laser surgery has already been scheduled.
My eye doctor is screaming at me to come in, for my Radiation induced cataracts, and I have no time.
And my Prosthedontist wants me to come to his office, 1 1/2 hours away to try my new upper, but I do not feel like making that drive right now.
Gotta treat this pneumonia. It's my 5th one, since cancer diagnosis.

Crystal