Hi guys,

I saw my ENT oncology surgeon last week for my check-up. I am now officially 2 years out of treatment and he said everything is looking great. He did 2 a CT scan of head/neck and chest and they called today with the results. Everything looks good although there is 1 small spot on my lungs that he feels could be a food particle and/or inflammation. He just moved me to the 4-month check-up schedule and said he didn't feel this was anything to worry and fret about - we would just scan again at my scheduled visit in late October. He did confer with the radiologist and my radiation oncologist and they agreed with him. So anyway, most of me feels good about everything, there's always that little voice wondering "what if". I feel great and am eating well enough that I've put on 13 pounds since this time last year - so now I just have to figure out how to put this out of my mind till October. I know it's not uncommon for spots to show up from time to time - guess I just wanted some input from you guys - is this wait and scan again typical procedure for something like this? Thanks guys

Pam

Pam that is a wonderful report! At two years you can breath easier. Posts like yours are such an encouragement to those who are just starting treatment. I am very, very happy for your good report, and will expect you to post many, many more.

Hey, Pam- I just want you to enjoy our hot Arkansas summer October will come in due time. Amy

Here'a a link to my friends band (Chasing Rita)in Arkansas (he's the second one from the left).

http://www.chasingrita.com/

Pam,

I had an abnormal chest xray with my 3 year check up. The follow up chest xray this month showed scarring in my left lower lobe consistent with the abnormal chest xray from April. My interal medicine doctor and ENT are not concerned with it but it worries me. I have asked them to send me the report so I can read it myself and compare it to the original from April. My annual physical with IM is in August, and I see ENT in October. I hate the waiting game too. I know my IM's plan was to order a CT if she wasn't satified with the 2nd chest xray, and that the radiologist would have asked for one the same day if it was indicated. That is reassuring but I still have this nagging fear that something else is going on. I think I will always have that nagging fear regardless of medical reassurances that I am ok. I never want to be surprised again like I was in March 2003. I think it is part of my new normal.

Sincerely,
Lisa

Thanks for the encouraging words everyone. Hey Lisa, it looks like Amy said it - October will come in due time and we have a beautiful summer to get out and enjoy. We have to trust our doctors (and I especially trust my ENT) to do what they do - they got us this far, right? I haven't had time to dwell too much this week because we just put our 14 year old son on the bus for a 2 week Boy Scout trek to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico - they will literally be on the trail for 10 days. That's a more pressing concern for me to have right now - hoping he can avoid the bears, snakes, mountain lions, lightening strike, wildfires and/or flash floods they "advised" us of in the risk advisory! He is my youngest of 3 and you know how us mama's worry! All my husband says is wonder how bad he'll smell on the ride home in 2 weeks? Anyway, we'll stay busy over the 4 day weekend running a concession stand at the pool for our Boy Scout troop - wait - he's off having fun and I'm serving up chili pies - something's not right! Seriously, that's the fun stuff in life and I am grateful to be here enjoying it - I can worry closer to October. Hope everyone here has a relaxing 4th of July - thanks for being here.

Pam

Congratulations Pam! You and I appear to have been put on the 4 monthly at the same time - mine's in October also. I had a PET-CT in March to investigate my enlarged parotid, but that came back OK, no obvious sign of a high grade tumour...just have to put up with the aches I guess. It's always scary around nose scope time and other tests, just think pos!

Cheers!

Tizz