The timing is all normal. From docs referral, to seeing consultant, biopsy, MRI and then finally seeing the head and neck surgeon with the diagnosis it took 3 weeks. Surgery was then planned a week and half after that. Apparently in most cases if there is cancer a few more weeks doesn't make a difference. That sounds harsh but realistically if it is, it's been there for some time most likely and hasn't got to stage 3 or 4. The receptionist can't tell you anything as they aren't medical professionals as such so that's normal too. I know, the waiting game drove me mad at first and I tortured myself googling everything! I'm now waiting for the results of the surgery to see if it's aggressive and have a CT scan next week. If it has spread to the lymphs then more surgery will be required. I realise now waiting is all you can do and try to get on with life in the meantime as normal as you can. It's only 7 days since they removed part of my tongue so healing has a long way to go yet. I'm on a soft diet ie mush! When this is done I'm getting the biggest takeaway ever!! 

Oh that must be painful hopfully the healing process ain’t too tough. I know the waiting is the agony bit and I try not to think about it I mean I have kids to distract me 5 and 2 year olds I have moments where I forgot and then I remember again and then I start to feel a sore throat like I’m sure it’s the anxiety but prior to all this I have never ever looked inside my mouth let alone with a torch. And i have become even more sensitive to every little tingle inside my mouth whether it’s relatable or not. The anxiety is high with the not knowing! I saw my ENT on the 15th June and won’t see him again till the 27th it’s been a painful coming up to  6 weeks of waiting! Oh I hope your results come back positive in that it hasn’t spread and you don’t need anymore surgery and it’s not aggressive. Fingers crossed  

My paranoia before they gave me the diagnosis was sky high! Everything I noticed more and in my head it had to be cancer. OK it was but I think it's perfectly normal to associate every pain/sensation to it because you're in a heightened state of anxiety. Even now I'm thinking 'what's that, has it spread etc' and I have to reign myself in and tell myself to stop it. Once I was diagnosed for the first few days the realisation would creep in every now and then. I wondered if every day I would wake up for the rest of my life thinking is it there. I've accepted it now and I can do this and will do this, I'm not planning on going anywhere yet! It must be awful having this hanging over your head with such young kids. The first thing I thought when I walked out the hospital that day was how am I going to tell the people I care about, how can I not hurt them. Then I thought of what if I never got to see the rest of their lives and they're all adults. To have children that thought must be eating you up. There's nothing I can say that will stop you from agonising. Just love them little tykes and use that as your positivity boost. I'm guessing you might have to go down the biopsy route, I skipped ENT and was routed straight to Maxillofacial. Given that they are taking a while (it's NHS policy once cancer has been potentially predicted they have a 4 week deadline for treatment decision and 6 week in total for treatment to start) they might be thinking yours is not C. Strep throat can go on for a long while from what I understand and cause a lot of issues that aren't necessarily cancerous. 

That’s exactly my worry now that I have come down this path and even if the outcome is positive and I get discharged will I accept that conclusion, or will my mind and anxiety still think something is going on it’s such a strange place to be in. Family and friends think they understand but they don’t. My daughter sufferes from ezcema and in February she got her ezcema infected on her hands and fingers by itching and caught strep it took 4 months to clear it up on 4 different antibiotics and steroid creams. Persistent little *** it was!!! So I’m hoping in the process of taking care of her I somehow infected myself in the mouth! I was givin antibiotics for 5 days it would clear it up but then came back took 10 days of antibiotics cleared up a week later came back took antibiotics cleared up 16 days later came back but this time no pus or streaks on tonsils just inflamed tonsils and ulcer on the left. Hence the referral. My lymph nodes under my chin would swell up but once the antibiocts kicked in they would go back down. Currently after taking stronger antibiotics and steroids I’m 3 weeks from last dose so far touch wood no sign of pus or ulcer however can still see redness around both tonsils. Now I don’t know if my tonsils were always kinda red or not as I have never looked in my mouth until all this appeared. Yes my children do frighten me as it’s all I think about, but the constant checking lymph nodes and inside mouth is becoming exhausting a part of me just wants to label it and get on with it as the unknowing is harder to handle. Best case scenario I get discharged and be on my way worst case he has a look doesn’t like the fact there red in colour and demands a biopsy. I did recieve a letter the other day from consultant to Gp just outlining what happend at appointment and he did write that he has taken me off the CWT pathway but again my anxiety is saying if that’s the case why did you send me for mri and why did you schedule in a follow up appointment. On the same day as my initial appointment for 6 weeks later. And like you I  have to teach myself to accept whatever will be will be and just get on with it xx

My best guess is you have been infected and hence your nodes keep swelling as they do with infection.  Strep can be REALLY hard to get rid of and the MRI isn't just for cancer, it shows all manner of things so I suspect they want to see if there's infection elsewhere. I got a bit bonkers and started looking at my tonsils in the beginning and they were kind of red. I can safely say there's nothing wrong with them so chances are yours were always red plus they may still be recovering. If they've taken you off the cancer route that sounds good, they know when they think it is cancer. The consultant took one look at mine and just went 'bam' biopsy just like that. There was no question about it. It's not to say something else isn't going on with you, worst case it is cancer but I reckon you've a good chance it isn't. No, people don't really understand unless they experience it. I get that though, how can they. It's like me saying I've been on holiday so many times abroad and I totally know how to fly a plane now. It's frustrating all the same, makes you feel mad with them like they're being insensitive or just plain stupid. Plus if you look relatively the same they forget for a bit there's something wrong. They don't mean to be that way though, just human nature. All you can do is live one day at a time and bite your tongue (poor choice of words!). You will get an answer and then you will be able to process it. You sound strong, you got this!

Thank you so much you have really helped me tonight in processing my thoughts well also trying to gain some control in not losing the plot with over researching and googling darn that Google!!! And I feel so much lighter just talking to you regardless of my outcome, lying here next to my 2 year old and stressing is not going to change any results or anything. Gota put my big pants on and do thisssssss and try and push anxiety to aside, I pray for good outcomes with your results and please keep me updated as I will you. WE have got this xx 

That's the spirit! The day of my diagnosis I had a walk, a little cry and then thought well this won't get the lawn cut and got the mower out!! Lol! I'm glad it's helped you a bit, I know it isn't easy but keep believing in miracles, I do, there's always room for a bit of magic in life. I'll keep you in my thoughts and am rooting for you. Thank you for chatting too, you're the first person I've really talked to properly since finding out. You keep me posted as well. Sleep a little easier tonight xx

Hi how are you doing? just wanted to update you today I had my follow up appoitnment my mri and blood tests all came back clear she looked in my throat with a flash light this time and said all was good. She believes I had an infection that took a while to clear up. The relief. Moment after having a slight panic attack when I was called to treatment room was great. And I feel I can finally get on with my life without worrying about the waiting game is a relief. 

Thank you so much. Yes I think the stress played a huge part aswell. How are you? How are you getting on? Hope everything is well with you xx