Hi Chris 

welcome to the site and I hope you find some support here. This Im sure other members will agree is the worst time - the waiting and not knowing - you and your wife are understandably full of emotions that are difficult to process. Unfortunately the word cancer immediatley conjours up all manner of horrors even when its prefixed with the words might be. Try to stay away from Dr Google as it tends to only give the worst case scenarios and there are many on this site for whom the outcome has been positive.

My husband was diagnosed with tonsil cancer in December 2015 and after treatment he has been in remission since July 2016. When you go for your appointment try to take a list of any questions you have as your mind will go blank when you get in there. Take a pen so you can write down any pertinent points as it will probarbly be a blurr afterwards. The consultant will ask you lots of questions, feel your neck and look down your throat. He may look more closely using a fibre optic camera . If there us any doubt to what he thinks it may be you maybe sent for further tests - ultrasound scan, fine needle biopsy, CT scan etc he may even suggest having your tonsils removed.

Once you have a diagnosis - and Im keeping my fingers crissed for you that its nothing serious it will get easier as you will know what youre dealing with. We found talking to each other anout iur fears really helpful however upsetting that may be as it means you are shari g each others burdens.How your wife is feeling - and I can speak from experience - is completely normal. 

Good luck with your appointment -Ive gotmy fingers crossed for you as no-one wants to join this club! 

If youd like anymore info about our journey then feel free to message me for a chat

best wishes

Emma

Thank you so much for your reply. At least i have an idea of what to expect at my appointment. Just out 9f curiosity what signs did your husband have? Reading posts on here I am expecting my tonsils to be removed and recovery from that can be painful. But if that's all that is needed I won't complain. 

I was disappointed that my doc just said that it was abnormal and here is your appointment. I was in so much shock I couldn't even bring myself to ask questions. I couldn't even ask what else could it be apart from cancer. Simple question just evaded my mind. Now I just have so many questions that I can't ask until Monday. 

Hi Chris 

Glad you found my response useful . My husband had a lump that suddenly appeared on the left side of his neck and didnt go down. No sore throats or anything. He had had some night sweats and a cold.He is a fit, non smoking, non drinking vegetarian so it was a shock when we found out it was cancer. He was unlucky in the fact that it had spread from his tonsills to his lymph nodes but it hadn't gone anywhere else. Although the treatment is gruelling the rates of remission for tonsill cancer that hasnt metastasised are good. 

Make sure you write your questions down and you probarbly wont get all the answers to all your questions especially a definitive yes or no re cancer when you go to the appointment so you may have a further stressful wait.

If youve got anymore questions then just ask away

best wishes

Emma

Thanks Emma. You have been more help then the doc I had! 

That is my only worry now which is the hope that if it is the dreaded C word that it's been caught early and hasn't spread. Hoping that the doc said that there is no lumps or swelling anywhere on my neck is good news and that it's just in the one place on my tonsil.

Reading on here it does seem the lesser of the evil cancers out there 

Hi Chris

If our journey has any plus’s its that we can hopefully help make other peoples experience better by talking about what happened to us. As they say ‘for warned is for armed’ and we wish someone had told us what to expect. I know everyone's experience is individual and different but there are certain things we all have to go through. 

Tonsil Ca is usually squamous cell and even though Im a nurse I had never looked after anyone with it in my 30 year career. It does have a good prognosis if caught early and even though my hubbys had metastasised to his lymph nodes he has been in remission for 17 months so fingers crossed.

The treatment is aggressive and gruelling but is worth it - hopefully you will get positive news and not need any! Unlike breast and prostate for instance it doesnt tend to spread to bones etc until its really well advanced.

One thing I would say is if you have to have the fibre optic nasopharynx scope be prepared as it goes up your nose and down your throat which can be a bit of a shock first time ( my hubby has had it so many times its like secondnature now) You can have some spray put up your nose ( which apparently tastes like really ripe bananas) which numbs it and makes it more comfortable so ask for some .

Anyway continue to ask anything you want and keep us pisted re how you get on.

best wishes

Emma

Thank you so much emma. I do hope your husband stays well! I will post once I have had my consultation. Thanks again

Hi Chris

just wanted to wish you luck at your appointment today.

best wishes

Emma

Hi Chris

So glad it was a positive appointment and you feel more reassured. Hope all goes well with the tonsillectomy- take plenty of pain killers! 

Glad I could help

best wishes

Emma

How big was the lump in his neck?