Many of you have written about your distressing journey to diagnosis and treatment. Mine was no different: possible fungus, possible SCC, SCC and severe dysplasia with a strong suspicion of SCC. A negative CT scan and normal panorex xray left me more confused and deeper in denial.
But every diagnosis also included a recommendation to remove the lesion so, my ENT surgeon removed the equivalent of 4 teeth and a slice of my jaw. He discovered cancer between the roots of the affected tooth ... not in the area of the original biopsies. As he said, "It didn't present itself as a typical oral cancer."
Tell me about it!
It was small, and he said he got it early, along with 1 cm of clar margins. The bone was clear, too. I don't need treatment, other than 3-month followups with CT scans & panorex xrays. I pointed out that the original scan & panorex were normal. He said these were the only tools he had (in addition to visual examinations.) If I were paranoid I could have lymph nodes and the rest of my jaw removed. I declined. I realize there are no guarantees.
What started as a bump near a molar on the buccal side of my gum in Feb. has deeply affected me, but my surgery and recovery has been easy. My surgeon said I would have a numb lip, but that didn't happen. I even was MC at a convention for young magicians over Fourth of July weekend, where I performed several ventriloquism routines. The surgery hasn't affected my speaking.
I am grateful that each doctor was aggressive in getting me to the next quickly, while I was denying anything was wrong other than this "thing" on my gum - until I got the diagnosis, and then I became a basket case. But look at me - and look at you! No one wants to belong to this club, but I don't think I could have made this journey without you. I'm glad I found you.

Marlene