The small hard lump just under the right side of my chin was diagnosed on three separate occasions, within a six-month period, as simply a swollen gland likely caused by allergies and such. The diagnosis was logical since I was visiting the doc to get some relief from the symptoms associated with a recurring sinus infection or an allergic attack. Shortly after the third diagnosis, I called the doc and said we need to revisit this issue as I felt there was something much more than just a swollen gland. She agreed and sent me on to a general surgeon who took one look, felt around the area and stated that he would not make any attempt to correct the issue. He sent me directly to the Ear Nose and Throat Doc.
The Ear Nose and Throat doc preformed a thorough exam and requested a needle biopsy. As he and I were waiting in the exam room for the technician to come in and do the biopsy, I asked him what his gut told him. He said; "My gut tells me you have malignant cancer." His thirty plus yeas of experience, my age and gender and the reality that this was more common that one might think, led him to that conclusion and he was right.
The diagnosis of stage four squamous cell carcinoma (described by my doc as a garden variety of cancer) was a bit unsettling as you might imagine. My tonsil proved to be the primary source of the cancer.
The experience that followed is too detailed and vast to share in this brief space and that is good since having the disease is not what this is about, it is about winning the fight. It is mostly about teamwork. I was blessed to have a great team of doctors and an unstoppable advocate. My advocate was and is my wonderful wife, Norma. She is the strongest, make that toughest, person I know and during this fight she proved that time and time again. When she asked questions, she got answers! In fact, because she was so intimately involved in the fight, the medical professionals began asking her questions about how I was doing and quit asking me!
After a tonsillectomy (OUCH!) the implanting of a feeding tube, seven hours of neck surgery (modified radical neck dissection) eight chemo therapy treatments, forty radiation treatments and seven-months off of work we steadfastly continued the process of winning the fight, day-by-day. Eight years have passed since my last treatment and we are victorious. We won!
This is not about me. This is about facing a tough situation head on, the team members that were engaged and the collective winning of the fight. Whatever you are facing, you are not and should not not face it alone. When you are facing a tough fight, look around and rally the troops. We won together, because we fought together and we continue to win together and you can too!
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