Thursday, April 7, 2011

General introduction (short version)

If you want the long version it is here.

I had a lump on my throat and went to Urgent Care in Hilo.  The doctor said that it looked bad.  Cancer-bad.  He sent me to get a CT scan.  The results were actually good, but he wanted to send me to an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) specialist STAT, but the HMO wouldn't pay in Hawaii.  I flew home to get it checked out (figuring that it probably was cancer so I shouldn't mess around).  I went to the ENT.  He said it looked ugly and it was probably cancer.  He did a biopsy.  He sent me to get various tests (MRI, PET scan).  The biopsy came back as squamous cell cancer. The tests show that it is, at worst, in very early stages of lymph node involvement. He is sending me to the Stanford "tumor board" for a treatment plan.

I am a very chipper patient, with a stellar attitude about it all (thus far).  So, don't worry about me...We are living with Doug and Laura (my beloved brother and sister-in-law) for the time being since our Santa Cruz house is rented until mid-June.

2 comments:

  1. You ARE a chipper patient! Good on ya!! No sense in freakin' out -- you've got things to do and docs to see. Damn Cancer. Thank goodness for your health insurance, eh?

    Keeping you in my prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robin you're one of the strongest people I know. With your strong will and fiestiness this disease doesn't know who it's dealing with!
    Your sparring partner, Luigi.

    ReplyDelete