Hi Again,

My Mom had surgery 1 year ago this month for cancer of the tongue, stage one, and all lymph nodes on that side of neck were removed and they were all clear of cancer.. She has been following up every 3 months with oncologist and is due 6/1 to visit him. She has had recurring bouts of pneumonia which were finally diagnosed as aspiration pneumonia due to poor swallowing. Our family doctor scheduled her for speech therapy for this condition (would have been nice if the oncologist did this a year ago). We had our first visit on Wed. when the therapist discovered 2 small pure white lesions under her tongue. Therapy was called off (Vital Stim therapy) until we saw a dentist and got a clean bill of health from cancer. We go today at 3:30 to the oral surgeon that discovered the first cancer. She went thru hell for the past year with the neck incision, not to mention the pneumonia, and another surgery couldn't be tolerated. She is in a weakened condition and I don't think she could take any radiation either. I am almost afraid that there is another cancer somewhwere in her body as she has a hard time keeping any weight on. She eats fairly decent and I supplement it with two 350 calorie Ensure's a day. I almost wish that the therapist didn't find this. Guess I'm sticking my head in the sand, but we are both so very anxious about this situation. I am asking for your prayers that this is not another cancer and surgery is not required. Thanks for all you past help, you've been a God send to me during the past year.
Thanks,
Margie

Hi Margie,

I will pray for your mom and you for strenghth. I lost my dad to another type of cancer and now I face oral cancer with my 15 year old daughter. Not to mention 2 boys one with definite crohns another going in for test for same. It becomes very diffucult for us caregivers. I know all I want to do is take away there illness and ask all the time Why them and not me. But God has his reasons.
Karen

Margie, I hope by now you have had good news.

Karen, I'll hope for your load to lighten.

MARK, Thanks, but no answer yet. The oral surgeon was kind of rushed yesterday with an emergency. One of the white spots had disappeared and the other one I saw was still there but he wasn't as concerned about that as another area (one that I didn't know about) which was flat and whitish. He just told us that they should be removed. I asked if it was leukoplakia and I must have pronounced it wrong, because he just corrected me and told me that leukoplakia was a catch-all phrase for any type of white lesion in the oral cavity. We already are scheduled on 6/1 for her 3 month check-up at Univ. of Penn with the head and neck oncologist that did the original surgery but we're on pins and needles til then. I tried to get the appt. moved up, but they couldn't do it. That's 12 days from now, but that's the best we could do. If it is a repeat of the tongue cancer, it is very new as she has been seen every 3 months since her surgery last May. We're praying the spots are something caused by the stress of the hospitalizations for Pneumonia. Prayers are what we have to work with, and they are powerful. Thanks for your prayers.

KAREN, God bless you, it is a heavy load you are carrying. It is so sad to see anyone suffer with this terrible disease, but to see such a young child have it makes me cry. I will pray for you to have the strength to carry this burden and for your daughter to recover and enjoy the fun of youth that should belong to her. I have a cousin with Crohns and that is very difficult also. My prayers are with your sons also.

God be with you all,
Margie