Craziness again....

Like I've already reported, I had my brain MRI and whole body PET scan on Monday the 25th of October. During the scan, while on the table, my throat began to feel weird and swollen. I think, "Great, if I am having an allergic reaction to the mess they are injecting me with, things are going to get really complicated!" At any rate, the scans are completed, I do a few errands. My throat continues to bother me. Once home, I looked at my throat and sure enough, the entire area was inflamed and on the right side there is a black lump partially visible behind the right tonsillar pillar. (This is the structure on either side of the back of the mouth that seem to be the stage curtains to the back of the throat with the palate being the stage roof and the uvula hanging down in the center. Tonsils are lymphatic tissue that develop in childhood and may become infected with viruses or strep. They may be removed if those infections are repeated or if the tonsils become swollen so as to obstruct sleep and breathing. Otherwise, at puberty, they take on the texture of a prune or raisin and involute, shrinking back behind the tonsillar pillar.) At any rate, black and growing is not normal. I show Brent when he gets home and he is not happy. He speaks with an ENT friend on Tues and they place me on Amoxicillin and hydrogen peroxide/water gargles and I am to see him at the end of the week if things do not improve. The erythema gets better and I don't know if it is the decrease in swelling of the surrounding tissue or the increasing size of the lesion, but the lesion becomes more prominent, causing me increasing difficulty with speaking or swallowing. I see Dr. Barnes on Friday morning. He takes a look and says it needs to be removed. So.....Sat am (10/30) it is, along with appropriate margins for the size of lesion (1.9 cm X 0.7 cm X 0.8 cm growing on a stalk attached to the right tonsil). Since it was the weekend, no path results were available until Tues, when as suspected by all, the results showed melanoma in the tumor, but clear margins in the surrounding tissue that was removed.

This week has been interesting to say the least, having to tell all my friends and family after reporting the all clear on both scans as well as dealing with the hole in my throat. But as ever....all of you have come through for me with immense support and love.

I am getting better and will be seeing my oncologist on Thursday of this week to see what advice she has at this time. I will probably follow-up with the neuro folks and the ENT on Friday of next week.

Meanwhile, Bent got to have a birthday as did Tammy and Kik! SO....Thanksgiving has got to be a big ole celebration all around!!!! Love to you all - c