Had a biopsy last week (My 13th since 1990!) and results were supposed to be in yesterday -- Called nurses several times but got no return calls, which is not a good sign. Had to take daughter to airport today, so I decided to drop in to office since I was on that side of Puget Sound. Told that although nurse was in, I would have to wait for nurse practitioner, again not a good sign (Nurses can apparently give you good news or tell you results hadn't come in, but can't give you bad news).
While I was there, Dr Haakenslash called in from somewhere to speak to me -- He had gotten results evening before and SCC was found in the high BOT, right below where it changes to mobile tongue (What I expected to hear when I went in for biopsy) -- He looked again at CT done two months earlier, but only a very faint indication, not noted by him or Radiology Doc -- He wanted an MRI, so since I was there, we got it done.
He will look at MRI and develop plan, likely submitting to Tumor Board tomorrow -- It will be surgery, with a tissue graft to cover the gaps as Chemo will only slow it down and I have already had lifetime dose of radiation.
Dunno when, or where the graft donor site will be or even whether he will go in from mouth or hack through side of throat, with his team of Cutthroats.
I'm actually relieved that it is cancer because otherwise we would all be wondering what was causing the sensitivity and ear pain (Classic symptoms, sore not healing and ear pain). Strangely, I'm starting to get used to all this.
Depending on when, I want my non-UW gastro-Doc to put in a good PEG, not that feeble, clogging one that I had last!
Age 67 1/2 Ventral Tongue SCC T2N0M0G1 10/05 Anterior Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 6/08 Base of Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 12/08 Three partial glossectomy (10/05,11/05,6/08), PEG, 37 XRT 66.6 Gy 1/06 Neck dissection, trach, PEG & forearm free flap (6/08) Total glossectomy, trach, PEG & thigh free flap (12/08) On August 21, 2010 at 9:20 am, Pete went off to play with the ratties in the sky.