Gary, thanks for knocking some sense into me. I do have a way of getting myself all worked up over something that (like you said) I'm not even sure of. Instead of freaking out, I should be enjoying my health as it is now, as I do feel pretty good aside from occasional heartburn and these darned night sweats that i get both day and night. I think some of my irrational thoughts are coming from the fact that I've pretty much stopped all my bad habits cold turkey and so close to the same time. I was drinking heavy for about five years (although I started at the tender age of about 13) and smoked for over thirty years. I think I need to start some sort of exercise program and go to the AA meetings. Keep myself more busy and enjoy my life. I do have a lot of to be thankful for. If I'm not satisfied with the oral surgeon I see on the 11th, I can ask for a different military doctor. Or maybe even ask for a referral for an ENT off base if they don't have one on this base. Have a good night. Shelley

I go in for a biopsy tomorrow morning with an oral surgeon. I read online where you should let your doctor know if you've been taking sucralfate two months before any type of surgery or before you have anesthesia. I've been taking it for gastro problems, and i was wondering if anyone else knows anything about this? I stopped taking it two days ago and let the doctors nurse know, but she said she didn't know anything about it? Told me to be there and an IV will be ready for me. I'm hoping this is as easy as most of you say it was for you. I know, the hardest part is going to be the waiting for results, and I plan on letting the surgeon know just how stressed out I am as it is. (my husband goes in for a cranitomy for his tumor the 15th of jan.). I've already made another appt with an ENT doctor in case I'm not satisfied with the oral surgeon. Although they couldn't get me in until Jan. 6th. Hope all of you are doing as well as can be and that you all enjoy the holidays. My prayers go out for you all....Shelley

Oh shelly, Take 1 deep breath......Let it out slowly.... Take one more deep breath....


I hope and pray that this is as easy as we have said.

Okay Mark......I'm still trying to get an answer to my worries and symptoms. Saw the second oral surgeon who said all he could see was normal lymph tissue, but he did refer me to an ENT surgeon, (because of my long history of smoking and alcohol abuse) who I see this Tuesday. My husband made it thru his surgery with flying colors and is making a fast recovery, thank God. Since I saw the last oral surgeon I've noticed two white patches on my tonsil, which have me concerned. Okay.....more then concerned.....I'm very worried about them. So.....I'm hoping this doctor will do a biopsy and that it will be as easy as you say. I feel like I'm driving myself insane and my husband right along with me..although he thinks I'm already crazy to be thinking the way I do anyway....I just hope he's right! Hope you're doing well...Shelley

I went to my ENT appt with a doctor at Barnes hospital in St louis today,and after viewing my throat with a lit magnifying glass, he told me that all he can see is a broken blood vessel in my throat (I'm wondering if this isn't what caused me to vomit blood this past december?), and cysts on my tonsils. He said that he didn't even feel the need to do a biopsy, that he looks into a lot of throats each day and that the white spots I'm seeing are NOT what cancer looks like. He did tell me that if they get larger that I could one day have my tonsils removed. I felt like kissing this man and then dancing my way out of his office! Over the past 7 months I have seen about 6 different general practioners (comes with having insurance thru (retired) military, my dentist, two oral surgeons and the ENT surgeon I saw today, and although one of the g.p.'s and my dentist showed concern, I am finally accepting what all the others have said, that I am OKAY. I'm tired of looking into my throat a dozen times a day, losing sleep and imagining the worst. My sister told me that I'm wasting my time thinking I'm dying when I should be spending it "enjoying living". Which is what amazes me and puts me in awe of all of you on this site.....I only "thought" I had cancer, here all of you are who do have it (or people you love with it), and yet you continue to fight it and live and hope and enjoy your lives. In all honesty, and I'm not proud to say this, but I don't know that I could be as brave and upbeat as most of you seem to be. You blow me away and I admire each and every one of you. I'm also a strong believer in the power of prayer and I'm keeping you all in my prayers. Thanks for being here for me when I needed advice and a good ear to hear me out. Shelley

That's GREAT news Shelley -we like to hear good news around here! But DON'T start your bad habits back up just because you can. Oral cancer is greatly influenced by alcohol & tobacco. Even though the problems you are having are not cancerous, they do reflect an abmormal throat and I would be very careful. An adult tonsillectomy is no walk in the park either.

We'd much rather have you as a visitor than a member.

Thank you for the update Shelley! And a good one at that.

Thank you for thinking of us as well.

Let your sister know that we all just wanted to be sure. Bottle that feeling you got when you heard the good news and save it for a rainy day.

Take care and stay in touch.

Shelley, I am very happy for you and want to thank you for posting your good news. This has not been a good winter around this forum, and we need every ray of sunshine we can find. I don't want to preach, but please listen to Gary and maintain your no smoke/no drink status at all costs. Either behavior can cause oral cancer, but together, they are way more than twice as bad. Now go dance in the streets!

Dear Joanna, Mark and Gary, thank you very much for your kind responses. It's people like you who make this world so much brighter and better to live in. You're all in my prayers. Shelley