Posts by Elizabeth Barrett7

Finally found my thread... I had surgery on October 15th and spent three weeks in the hospital. It was brutal, and honestly, things are still rough. Right now, I’m just waiting for the call to come in for radiation. I'm terrified. If anyone here has been through this themselves or has a loved one who has, please reach out and share your experience. I really need to hear from you. Thanks.

Yesterday I caught a break and finally got some clarity. I’ve finished all the preliminary tests except for the spinal tap—that's happening today. I also have my meeting with the anesthesiologist later, so hopefully, everything will be settled once we get the biopsy results back. They walked me through the whole process, and honestly, it sounds like quite the uphill battle ahead. Apparently, the survival rate is somewhere between 70 and 80%. Is that actually good news? I don't even know. The worst part is that I’ve completely lost my appetite. I’m already thin as a rail, and usually, I can’t stop eating, but now I’m practically forcing food down my throat. I know the Holy Spirit isn't exactly known for tackling oncology, but I'm trusting that the doctors know what they're doing since this is the only way I could get into the program. God, give me strength...

Melissa Sanchez8 said:The glaring issue here is that despite "diagnosing" a malignant tumor (with metastases, no less), they aren't scheduling further follow-up until October 14th.
What's the point of waiting? 🤷

If I were you, I’d be hunting down a second opinion and getting those tests done immediately.

That’s exactly what’s eating at me. I went to Mayo Clinic and they didn't have me scheduled for an ultrasound or biopsy until late October. Eventually, I found a connection at a private clinic and got several options—ranging from the absolute worst case to something manageable. My contact called a colleague over at St. Jude's right away, so I have my ultrasound, cytopuncture, and biopsy today at 9:00. After that, God help me. Look, I don't deny doctors have a right to strike, but when you're dealing with a patient in this kind of condition, how much can things realistically deteriorate in two months while waiting for surgery? They seemed to imply there shouldn't be any delays for diagnoses like this... yet here I am, with a November 30th appointment at Johns Hopkins.😕

There was no specialist board, no consultation, nothing besides a basic physical exam. That’s why I’m going around looking for a second opinion. This hit me like a bolt from the blue—no biopsy or fine-needle aspiration yet, just some doctor telling me there's carcinoma with metastases somewhere

So, what, nobody’s got a single word to say to me???

Got a diagnosis last week: malignant tumor on my right tonsil with metastasis. Out of three specialists who looked at my throat, two younger ones wanted to jump straight to a biopsy, but the third one—who everyone says is the top expert in the field—just squeezed it, told his colleagues it’s clearly malignant, and said a biopsy would be a waste of time. I've been scheduled for October 14th to head to the hospital with my referral for a CT scan and the usual prep work for surgery. So, I'm wondering if anyone here has gone through this? Specifically, how did they decide it was malignant without the biopsy? I didn't mention that a lump started growing there about six weeks ago; from the outside, it looks like I swallowed a whole egg. If anyone can shed some light, I'd appreciate it.😕

Joining this thread. About a month and a half ago, a lump popped up on my neck—felt like I’d swallowed an egg. Since I wasn't in Washington, D.C. this week, I started hitting up hospitals. First stop was the Mount Sinai Hospital ER, ENT department. Diagnosis: tonsil carcinoma with metastasis. I won't even bother writing out the Latin terms. Surgery isn't scheduled until November 30th, obviously because of the strike. I also went to check my ribs, and it's the same story. On Monday, I'm heading to a clinic, but I have a feeling this is the real deal. What's killing me is waiting two months for surgery. As far as tests go, I just need a CT scan and the usual pre-op stuff. I am completely lost, and honestly, so is my GP; he says in 30 years of practice, he’s never seen anything like this. Question for you all: has anyone heard anything or knows anything about tonsil cancer? Thanks.

Look, I’ve been around the block. That doesn't mean I'm some genius, but I’ve hit rock bottom more times than I can count. There were moments when walking away from everything felt like the easiest option. But just like you, I have two kids who have relied on me since day one. When I was drowning, the thought of what would happen to them was the only thing that kept my head above water. I just took it one damn day at a time. My mantra? "God, just give me enough strength to get through today." That’s how I pushed myself. Believe me, nobody else is going to pull you up—they'll just sedate you until you're useless. Give yourself a mission: focus on getting those kids through life. It helps enough to get you through the worst of this. Like I said, I just pushed through day by day. I used to stash the pills my psychiatrist prescribed in a drawer and toss them later. Now, the only thing I really need is something to help me sleep, because the nights are the hardest part.
Hang in there. Every storm eventually runs out of rain.

When I was 20, I was seeing this married guy. I ended up pregnant, and even though I really wanted a kid eventually, I decided to have an abortion. It wasn't easy. My parents were there for me, but he definitely wasn't. Over time, I just pushed it down—honestly, I almost forgot about it entirely. I went on to have two kids that I truly wanted. Now, when my OB-GYN asks about my pregnancy history, I blank on that first one and just say two. I didn't even realize at the time that since I'm Rh negative, I should have had that injection to prevent issues with future pregnancies, but luckily everything turned out fine. Just saying: it’s tough, but it’s even tougher to raise a child you aren't ready for and wouldn't be able to love properly. I fully support your decision. It’s your body, and it's your call.