Hi everybody,

I'm taking a deep breathe as I type this. I'm worried sick again as usual. I know everybody is going to say not to worry until there is something to worry about but I guess I just have one of those personalities where no matter how much I tell myself to put it out of my mind its the only thing I can think about.

My mom called me Friday saying that she made an appointment with her ENT because she is feeling something strange going on with her tongue. She just had an appointment 2 weeks ago and he relayed a message to her to give to me and my sister that everything looked great. Well now my mom says she feels a hard spot on her tongue where they reattached it and she had a strange feeling that she can't describe (like a stretching or pulling). I'm hoping its just scar tissue that formed on her tongue and like her neck how it gets stiff. Could it be possible that scar tissue could just develop 7 months after the radiation. She is feeling so much better lately and hardly has any pain anymore. Has anybody ever experienced anything like this before? She has an appointment on Wednesday so her ENT can look at it and I am just so worried about what it could be. I was trying to go without posting anything about it but I really need some support right now. I have been praying constantly. Please let me know if anybody has ever had anything like this.

Thank you,
Dani

Dani,

What I found months after surgery and radiation was that I gradually became more aware of scar tissue that I hadn't sensed early on. I think many of the nerves in that area were either severed (by surgery) or temporarily deadened (by radiation), and when they started to get back to a normal level of sensation, I began to feel things that took some time to get used to. I don't know if this is what your mother is experiencing, but it could be.

Cathy

Cathy,

Thats what I'm hoping. Thank you so much for your response. It will help take my mind off it a little more until Wednesday.

Dani

Hi Dani,
I would feel good about the fact that she just had a check up two weeks ago. It sounds like scar tissue, etc., to me so let's hope that's what the doctor says.
Take care,
Minnie

Hello Dani,

All I can offer you is my support that this is not a reoccurance. It's natural for you to worry. I think we all look over our shoulders when something like this happens. This is such a sneaky nasty diaease. I'm praying everything turns out ok for your Mother. Please keep us posted.

Love ya, Danny Boy

DaniJams,

I was scared to death a few weeks ago because at the bottom of my ribs it first started hurting around the PEG tube site and gradually worked it's way to the center and then the right. I had xrays, scans, etc. I am now convinced it is only adhesions (scar tissue) from where they poked into my stomach to place the PEG tube. A friend of my sister had the same thing and they kept going in there and cutting it away. She was on strong pain medication for many months. I believe scar tissue can form anywhere and push against nerves and cause anything from pain to numbness. I don't think we will ever reach a point of never worrying about what might be lurking in our bodies after cancer. I am surely hoping and praying that your mother is remaining cancer free and God calms your heart and spirit and provides you warmth, comfort and endless love!

You are the greatest for all your love and concern you have for your mother. There is nothing like the love of a mother and child. God Bless you.

Ed

Dani,
They had to disattach the left side of my tongue during surgery and I have hard spots there with some small bumps.
Minnie

Dani,
I feel strange sensations daily in my tongue & my surgery was 7 mos ago. Some days I cannot do coffee or anything even remotely hot and others it doesn't bother me. The last week or so I have felt swelling & my tongue feels tight, I just continue on, knowing I am getting checked out as your mom is. Dont worry and reassure her as best you can ... I even feel better about the "pulling" sensation in my tongue now I have read YOUR post....Thanks!
Take care
Maria

Thank you Minnie, Dan & Ed,

You are all awesome. Her appointment is at 2pm today so we are just waiting to hear what the ENT says.
Minnie, I told my mom about the chocolate thing and she said that right before her tongue started to feel a little strange she had eaten chocolate and that two days prior to noticing the change in her mouth she had eaten a lot of chocolate. So maybe chocolate is affecting her also. She has been trying to gain some weight so she has been eating everything she can.
Maria,
Not to say that I'm glad you are feeling the same sensations as my mom but it makes me feel a lot better knowing that she is not alone with the strange feeling. She has the same problems where some days she is fine eating stuff and other days she can't. I hadn't heard that anybody else was that way.
I will let you all know how the appointment goes today.

Thanks again,
Love and prayer to you all!
Dani

Dani: Dryness can cause many foods to be uncomfortable on the tongue. I have Sjogren's(an autoimmune disease, affect endocrine system)and before I was diagnosed (and before I knew I needed to drink a lot more water) I had trouble with coffee, chocolate, walnuts and wine. The walnuts have tanin, as does red wine, and coffee; I am not sure about chocolate but something it is affects my tongue when I am dehydrated. Drinking lots of water helps me. It may be partly a dryness issue w/your mom. Good luck - Candace

Sister to guy w/Tongue cancer, Stage IV, Dx 4/03, ended Tx 9/03. 12 clear exams.