I had what I thought was a swollen gland on the right side of my neck. I wasn't alarmed, I've had swollen glands on and off most of my life. However, four weeks later and this one was persisting. So when I spoke to my GP at the start of October about another issue I thought I'd best mention it.
It was a phone appointment, but within an hour I was summoned into the actual surgery and had numerous bloods taken and was poked and prodded.
"Not cause for concern, just yet." Said my GP, before asking if I had any other lumps. I mentioned I had several on both shins, but as I suffer from eczema had presumed they were just in-growing hairs or scar tissue. They're all smaller than peas, but quite hard. My neck lump is olive sized according to the Doctor.
She then told me she'd refer me to get all the lumps ultrasounded, just in case. She also referred me to ENT for a swallowing problem which has since been diagnosed as Acid Reflux Oesophagitis. I had the camera down my throat a fortnight later and got the results last week.
No sign of the ultrasound as yet though. I do have an appointment with the ENT department at the end of this month, but no clue if it's to do with the lump or the swallowing.
Of course in the last 10 days I've discovered another smaller lump just below the main lump, which I've decided to name Archimedes (from The Sword in the Stone). It's harder than Archimedes and roughly pea sized. I'm hoping it goes down in the next few days.
In the mean time I have an appointment to speak to my GP about my ARO on Wednesday, I figured I would use that call to enquire about the ultrasound and mention the new lump if it hasn't gone by then.
I'm trying to tell myself the time it's taking is a good sign, but a nagging voice in my mind keeps saying that Covid might have slowed down referal times.
I've lived with a benign lump on my prostrate for the last five years and I was hoping that I'd learned enough from that to keep calm this time. That does not seem to be the case and my mood is all over the place.
I don't know what I'm looking for you folks to say to me, but just telling my story, such as it is, feels like a positive step.
Thanks for listening.
