Head and Neck Cancer

[Vallee]

Handle: Vallee
Status: Cancer Patient
Cancer Type: Carcinoma of Unknown Primary
Sub-Type: lymph node
Gender: Female
Age: 55
Country: CANADA
Last On: Oct 10, 2009

Officially Diagnosed with Cancer by a Doctor: September 2009




I went to the Doctor at the end of July/09 after being bit by a wood tick, not being from wood tick areas I thought I had a mole on my back, I got my husband to check it and he informed me it was a wood tick and pulled it out...... that was the start of my finding I had cancer. Thought I might have lyme disease (bulls eye rash and all, also a swollen lymph node that has gone hard and stationary). I feel very lucky that I have a pro-active doctor who put me through the whole gamut of tests, at least to try rule out lyme or the co diseases that go with it. Lyme disease is an incredibly political disease. I went on a 5-week prescription of doxycycline to protect me from lyme. My lymph node did not get smaller anything with the antibiotic. My doctor ordered an ultrasound, which came back abnormal, then set me up with a surgeon for a biopsy. It came back saying there were malignant cells. She called it a malignant carcinoma. I was set up to have the CT scan and went to the appointment at the hospital. I have never had to have one before and did not realize the being highly allergic to colour, they could not do it.(When I was 7 I quit breathing from this allergy and was in the hospital for about 3 days.)Anyhow it was not done. My doctor has since scheduled me for surgery to have the lymph mass removed with a head and neck surgeon She told me that my file was marked "urgent" and I would be called in the next 2 weeks for neck dissection surgery.(that was a week ago), She is a GP so can only answer so many of my questions about it. I guess I have to wait. I have no idea what kind of cancer or what stage it is. Can they do a PET or MRI without dyes to find it? I do have a great family who is still in shock about this, and I do have the most wonderful husband who I worry about because this is the second wife for him to go down this road. (his first had pancreatic cancer) I am confused and find myself full of all kinds of emotions and just need to vent to anyone who will listen. If anyone could give me any advice I really would appreciate it. Thanks

P.S. I still do not know about the lyme disease or it's co diseases, as it seems to be a political disease and normal doctors seem to ignore it, am looking for a LLMD ( very hard to find) to work with my other doctors).

[Vallee]

Finally got to see the ENT. He did an endiscopy and found a tumor on my right tonsil.sent me for an MRI, blood work etc. ( not back yet) and will be putting me in for day surgery for a quadroscopy and biopsy of the tonsil, within the next couple weeks. They will then be able to stage this cancer, and discuss treatment with me. Looks like this show is getting on the road and it scares me to death Val