Hi

I think you are quite amazing. I am going to have a busy few days from tomorrow. I have also been lucky to have an efficient hospital so far. Christmas eve noticed my lump by tuesday had got bigger so went to doctors. 4th January at ENT had nasalendoscopy to find enlarged abnormla tonisl one side hard mass, non painful. Ultrasoiund booked for thursday 14th with aspiration then got cancellation for MRI tomorrow 12th then today get telephone call asking me to have a preoperative appointment for biopsy and panoscopy? not entirely sure on this one but think it is some sort of chest endoscopy., Not worried about MRI have had a few of thiose before, bit worried about aspiration and will be worried when i get date for biopsy. I am supposing that if anything shows on aspiration I may get a call to go in and discuss or wait for biopsy?? consultant said I could get call at any stage. Was not told about the other tonsil possibly getting cancer perhaps each hospital is also different. Let us know how you are getting on,. 

Hi Elona

Welcome to the whirlwind!  I am glad that I am not the only one :happy:

Thinking of you at your MRI, I too have had a few...  The noise just strangly brings back memories of the 90s raves :laugh:

Sounds like we are going through pretty much the same at pretty much the same stage.  And luckily both with very efficiant Hospitals.

I originally went to the doctors back in May 2020 with an enlarged tonsil that had a couple of white patches.  Because it was the early days of Covid and it was a throat issue I had to see a locum in the surgery car park.  She said there was nothing wrong, but may have a bit of thrush.  She subscribed Thrush treatments and away I went...  Obviously the treatments didn't work :laugh:

I didn't know I was having the good tonsil (only the good one, with biopsy of cancerous one and tounge biopsy) removed until the day of the op.  Didn't even know I was down for a tonsillectomy until I was at my pre assessment.  The Nurse could find no info on the system...  As it turns out there were two perfectly good reasons.  I saw the dental surgeon (One of my MDT members) at my ultrasound and he told me that they were a victim of their own efficiency and that the op could change right up to the moment before I have the anesthetic.  Hence lack of info.  I don't mind, I'm just so impressed with everything.

What is an aspiration?

Let me try and put your mind at rest about the biopsy.  I had a fine needle biopsy which was done under local anesthetic.  This was a biopsy of the lymph nodes taken through the side of my neck. I could feel them pushing around, but no pain.  After the anesthetis wore off it was a bit uncomfortable for a day at the most.

Under general anesthetic I had a deep tonsil and tounge biopsy.  This was at the same time as having the right (good) tonsil removed.  All the staff were brilliant, the surgeons came and saw me pre and post op explaining everything.   Ooh and the bed was soooo comfortable.  I was left with no pain or discomfort from the tongue and deep tonsil biopsy as far as I know.  This may be due to the overall pain and discomfort from the tonsillectomy disguising anything from the biopsies.

All of my appointments were made via phonecalls or I was sent for a test whilst at the hospital having something else done.  

How am I getting on?  The throat is still sore from the op, but the pain is very managable.  It's a great excuse to eat icecream  :wink:  I wont lie there are moments of Ahhhrrrggggg!  But they do not last long.  Earache now in both ears Boooo!   I have been living with an invisible condition, for a few years, that causes a lot of unnecessary pain daily.  So me and pain are good ole friends, he is annoying but without him I wouldn't be here (I have no idea why I made my pain male) The trick with pain is to find other, better, happier things to occupy your mind.  Hence I've written so much here, whilst writing this my pain is dampened.

Keep in touch, as we are in such a similar position.  It'll be interesting to see how our treatment paths differ or assimilate.  It'll also be a good and informative read for others who pass by.

Take care, be strong

Good Morning Elona.

Just a couple of lines to wish you well for the day.  

And to let you know I ate half the tub of cookie dough ice cream last night, which I  may remind you that its your fault i purchased haha!  so there shouldn't be any problems with me weighing in at my 80kgs on Monday. 

Thinking of you both

Al

hahaha that cookie dough ice cream is a goodie! happy to contribute towards the weight control lol. 

mnaged to go all night without getting up for more pain relief yay! but i need a dentist to file a tooth down think they moved my jaw when they took my tonisl out and it is rubbing - hate dentisit will put of for as long as possible - that is if i have dentist any more lol. mine throws you out if you dont go reguarly and i didn not go last year. oops! 

sun is shinning on the frost we had last night so planning the job of the day might be a bit of skirting painting. quite tired today though so we will see might just move some things around. at the moment i am sitting in bed with a cuppa lol 

i read your reply to Sam you are a very amazing person and ia m in or being an artist of that callaber must have been quite something but to loose it must have really weighed on you then to regain your self is something to be very proud of. most people would only aspire to be as good as you - i certainly would i love painitng animals and am not bad but wow would love to see your work some day, can you adapt your condition to doing a different style painting? or is it still little painful. 

now if i was you savour the cookie dough and order some more! 

Hello Elona 

How are you?  Any news yet?  How's the tooth?  You should be OK  most dentists stopped seeing patients back in March 2020. Mine was one of them.

Sun shone all weekend here,  out in the Garden in February here... Unheard of!  Gave the garden gate two coats, not real energy though, sadly steroid infused lol.

Just finished my second chemo and 6th radio today and not feeling too bad yay.

Sunny here tomorrow  hope its sunny with you too

Be Strong

Al

Hi Al

sounds like you are doing really well - keep it up! 

congratulations on the two coats of paint - i only managed one on the skirting boards today. tooth is feeling bit better today think it is a wisdom tooth that need sorting but have bought a file so am going to see if i can file the tip tiomorrow lol anything to avoid dentist lol 

no news yet so figure they cannot have got results back - susoect then they must be trying to culture something. 

am finding that somethings get stuck in throat - hubby knows this feeling well he had a stricture and had to have his throat enlarged monthly for nearly 2 years. hoping this does not sty like this. taste is still not 100~% either. otherwise today is much like another ! the list of jobs are getting longer and longer! my pond decided to break - the hose pipe to the pump and i could not mend so have ordered some parts but may have to find someone to help me. grr 

anyway take care

yes sunny here it is good to see the sun but boy bitterly cold brr couldnt face being outside for long. quick throw food at animals and run inside lol. feels like winter again. 

did manange five minutes yesterday to sut a salvia in the front garden and plant some galanthus and primula in a basket on a fence to brighten the place up a bit. 

hubbby got me the new bird table and i was watching a blackbird and starling on it - so pleased to see it being used especially as we have crows, rooks, jackdaws that could scare of the smaller birds. 

happiness keeps you positive x 

Hello, I am a 20 year old male 

and just been worried a lot about my node u see my jawline bone it's more on the muscle but you can't see it sticking out only if you proper dig for it.

I was just wondering what was your symptoms of tonsil cancer? 
when did you first notice something was up?

and fair play to you for being so strong during this you have my upmost respect!

many thanks 

Jake 

Hi Jake 

Firstly and most importantly try not to worry, easier said than done i know so I will give you a couple of positive points to start.

Neck cancer is rare, even more so in someone so young, you have youth on your side.  9 out of 10 people with initial symptoms come back negative.

Make an appointment at your doctor to get it checked out by a professional, this is important.  

I am just in the process of starting a blog site with my lovely friend Elona.  The site is live whilst we build it.  On the site you will see my journey from the point I first noticed something though to seeing the doctor.   There is a lot more to add to that page yet, but there is enough to answer your questions so far 

Go to www.neckcancerjourneys.com  Then click on the My Journey tab.  

Keep us updated Jake 

Stay positive 

Al

Hi Elona

Sounds like you are busy, busy, busy, which is good.  Vision of  you feeding the animals made me laugh :happy:

its lovely watching wild birds visiting and interacting on a bird table, they don't take long to find a new one.  Soon the whole neighbourhood of  feathery friends will be visiting.   Hubby did a lovely thing there. 

My better half ordered 125 bulbs and 20 pots on Monday, bulbs due delivery April I think.  So looking forward to the spring garden.  Next on her list are some more garden lights.  My next job is to fix up the old front garden bench... I say fix up, more like rebuild.

love your last sign off... 'Happiness keeps you positive'  

It sure does :happy:

Al

Hi Al

misty morning here but thats fine as i can finally get spare room back to some normality - or start. 

dont know about being busy lol just keeping myself out of mischief! and occupied whilst i wait and wait ...

having a lazy hour at the moment before i drag myself up the cats dont mind though they are keeping me company. Thats the thing isnt it relax and rest is a great healer. 

love the ideas for the spring your wife has the right idea - lots of colour. i have got to sort my garden out it needs some colour too. i did order some veggies to grow - celeriac, sweetcorn, butternut squash and some yacon a weird root veggie i took an interest in trying. i was going to grow courgettes again as we both love them but last year we had so many we could not eat them quick enough! 

there is now the fattest pigeon on my bird table lol. he only just fits cheeky monster!

 hope the chemo/radiotherapy is going ok

keep smiling it brings out the happiness

hi Jake

I am glad you found us here and Al who is brilliant. As he said a lot of lumps are not cancer so there is always hope and even if it is you have to have hope always. I have a lymph mass and it was connected to my tonsil so I had a tonsilectomy. In my case I am lucky at the moment they are considering infection being left in my neck but iam awaiting test results. Like everyone you go through a whole mixture of emotions and I think we constantly think the worst - try not too. You wont know untik you get a doctors appointment. Anything like this needs to get checked out. please do. 

take care we are here for any support

hi Jake

I am glad you found us here and Al who is brilliant. As he said a lot of lumps are not cancer so there is always hope and even if it is you have to have hope always. I have a lymph mass and it was connected to my tonsil so I had a tonsilectomy. In my case I am lucky at the moment they are considering infection being left in my neck but iam awaiting test results. Like everyone you go through a whole mixture of emotions and I think we constantly think the worst - try not too. You wont know untik you get a doctors appointment. Anything like this needs to get checked out. please do. 

take care we are here for any support