Hi, y'all. I shouldn't be writing when I have a check-up scheduled for Tuesday, but I am worried about a lymph node I have discovered on the same side as my surgery 19 months ago. I actually am concerned about two--one toward the back of my neck, and the one that I am the most concerned about, just under the angle of my mandibular joint. I have not felt it before. I have had some mild ear pain for a while.

I know that you can't diagnose it for me, but if you had nodal involvement show up a significant time after your surgery, please tell me how it appeared and what it was like and how it turned out.

I did not have radiation.

and I might be worrying about nothing. I am also quite stuffy and congested right now..and unfortunate complication in the diagnostic picture.....but I am not "sick"--just allergic, I think.....

I haven't even shared this with my husband yet....probably will before the day is out, but he has so much on his mind right now that I hate to add something else, especially when he can't diagnose it either. He'll go with me on Tuesday for my checkup, and I"ll show it to him before then, for sure. I'll probably give in long before then, so that he can share the worry. I don't know if that is kind or not. I am preoccuppied about it, so he might as well know why I am acting a little odd.

I love next door to an ENT...I might walk next door and have him feel my neck, just to see what he says. I'll keep you posted.

I just needed to share this with somebody, and you guys got chosen. Thanks for being there!

XO

Hi Colleen,

It could just be that your lymph nodes are working overtime to battle your allergies. To tell you not to worry is like to tell you not to breathe.

I think you should share your concerns with your husband. He would be more upset to find out after the fact that you tried to carry this on your own. Tuesday is only a few days away, but it can seem like an eternity when you are thinking that something could be wrong.

Please know that you are in my thoughts and I'm saying extra prayers for you this week.

Hugs,

Joy

Colleen: Stay in touch and let us know your results! Good luck on Tuesday!

Colleen,

My lymph nodes under my chin were swollen prior to my surgery and once removed - they were cancer free (They were about twice the normal size) however, I have bad allergies and both the surgeon and the rad onc that I saw for opinions attributed the hyperplasia of the nodes due to the allergies. So, you could have the same thing going on. I don't know about the ear pain - if the node was near the ear and swollen - I would think that might exert a little pressure and possibly that could also be attributed to the swollen nodes. Let's hope this is the case!

Thanks, guys! I am feeling better about it. My husband felt them and didn't think they feel like malignant nodes. He is a urologist, however, and he admitted that he doesn't feel a lot of necks! I think they are smaller today. Maybe I am imagining it, or maybe I have smushed them down by trying to feel them. I go tomorrow, and I am not as upset as I was when I first came across them. I'll surely report back, though. Thanks for your concern and your good counsel.

One question I still have is this: If you had nodal metastasis after your surgery, how long afterward did it appear? My SCC was undiagnosed for a long time before my surgery, and that is why I had a neck dissection. I know that all nodes are not able to be removed in ND's, though, so I still want to be vigilant.

Good News.....I had a good 18-month checkup today, and the nodes were determined to be reacting to my current allergic flare-up. They had shrunk significantly by the time of my checkup. On Friday, however, they were alarming, and I jumped to conclusions that I was in big trouble. This disease makes us jumpy, for good reason. But I was fortunate this time. Thanks for your concern and advice.

What great news!

Hi Colleen!

Fantastic news!!!I'm glad everything went well today.

Now go enjoy the rest of your week!

Hugs,

Joy