I'm so glad it wasn't as bad as you thought it might be. It breaks my heart to see such young people like you and others on this board dealing with this cancer at a time in your life when you should be feeling somewhat invincible. My thoughts are with you and keep us posted on how you are doing.

Sophie

Good to read it is contained. I hope you stay healthy!! Will have you in my thoughts!

Jen,
Good luck with everything! I didn't make it a year either girl! I made it a little over 6 months. Keepme posted on here or www.remissionorbust.blogspot.com

Hi Jen,

I am sorry to hear about having radiation. I remember before radiation I was terrified about what might happen. Today, I am so relieved because the ancticipation was worse. It was not fun going it though. I remember your posts when I was going through my treatment and your strengh inspired me and those rough days.
You will do great!

Jen, so sorry about your news. Will be thinking of you and wishing you well.

I am new to this website, I too just got the results of my byopsy. Surgery 11/08 followed by RT with the "MASK" completed Jan 09.
Everything seemed to be going good, follow up on 10/15 w/ENT found soft spot which turned out to be SCC.
Looks like I'm heading back for surgery as evasive as first time. Awaiting schedule for PET/CT then treatment plan.

Another update - so I met with my surgeon late yesterday...
Turns out it's not actually my salivary gland, but a lymphnode, although it's still contained. The lymphnode swelled so much that it sorta fused around the salivary gland, hence why the ENT had thought that's what it was originally.

Nonetheless, the surgeon is going to do a left neck dissection and remove the salivary glands and all the left neck lymphnodes. Then after surgery he will present my case to the Mayo clinic tumor board and they will collectively decide if they think I need radiation. He says right now it's not definite, but a "probably". If I will need it, he says he always recommends 6 weeks of 5 days/week treatment.

I have two concerns at this point.

1. My surgeon is going out of town and so my surgery won't be until 11/11 or 11/12 (the scheduler is supposed to call me tomorrow morning). I just hate waiting that long. Who knows what this cancer will do in the meantime.

2. My left jaw has been aching off and on recently and I don't know if that's related or not. I sorta forgot to ask my surgeon about it yesterday because it wasn't hurting at the time and I had about a dozen other questions I was asking him.

My surgeon is supposedly one of the best in the nation, so I guess waiting for him to do the surgery is my best option. I just hate the waiting part....that is the worst part of this disease....the waiting and the unknown. *sigh*

At least now I am beginning to have a plan unfold before me.

I'm having a hard time being strong today. I got a call from the scheduler this morning and my surgery isn't taking place until 11/16. I realize the surgeon is going out of town and he has dozens of cancer surgeries to schedule, but I am still very uneasy about waiting so long. I called my ENT who says the wait shouldn't make a difference and he thinks I should still go to Phoenix. He says if I still am uneasy about it, he could do the surgery maybe 11/4.

The surgeon I had last year, Dr. Kim, was so amazing. He was always so willing to work with my schedule and would remember little facts about me from each visit and was just so personable. Dr. Kim got a new job in Seattle a month or two ago, so my files were transfered to Dr. Hayden, Dr. Kim's original mentor. Dr. Hayden seems like an amazing doctor/surgeon with many years of experience and recognition..... I just didn't get the same warm and fuzzy feeling with him. Now with scheduling surgery so far down the road it just makes it that much worse.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling. I don't keep a blog or anything and I like having this forum to post my current thoughts and feelings. Thanks for listening.

My prayers are with you Jen. i came to this sight today to just hope for anyone out there going thru what we have all been thru.

God bless you!
julie

Jen, my prayers are with you. I am now joining your club. This stuff stinks. We will get through this together. I will be having TX at the same time you get your surgery. I am glad your ENT is willing to do the surgery earlier for you. If you are un easy about waiting until mid-Nov, take him on that. I know I would. Keep us posted.