just another uneventful checkup...

Well, my regularly scheduled appointment went along as usual. Blood work -- fine. Vitals -- fine. Poked, prodded, listen to heart, check lymph-nodes -- all fine. Next step, come back in 3 months for another CT scan (with the drink and injection contrast) with a follow up appointment with Dr. Hei. Back to the same old routine...hooray!!!

a little scare...

I noticed a lump/firm spot up in the area where my tumor was, so I called my doctor (Dr. Hei). He said I should have another CT scan and go see the ENT doctor who did the surgery originally (Dr. Anderson). Then, he said I should come back and see him to go through all the results and decide what, if anything, to do next.

I had the CT scan on Feb 15th. It was fairly uneventful, except for one of the scanners not working and the appointment taking a long time. Also, it was a scan where I only needed to have the injected contrast -- much better than my usual drink the nasty orange flavored, chalky contrast AND get the injected contrast.

On Feb 19th, I had an appointment with Dr. Anderson. He looked over the scans and said he did not see anything that seemed to indicate a problem. No noticeable masses or changes in the tissue. He thinks the lump/firm spot I am feeling is probably just scar tissue from my surgery combined with some delayed side effects from the radiation therapy. He said that sometime the radiation effects are not noticeable for years and then they appear.

On March 7th, I went back to see Dr. Hei. He said based on the scans, conversation with Dr. Anderson, and my latest labs/blood work, there does not seem to be any reason for concern. Everything seems to be fine. He said to keep my appointment on the 28th, just to be sure and to discuss any findings the radiologists have on my scans.

All in all, it was a little scare, nothing to really worry about. It just seemed a little too coincidental that this all happened around the 2 year anniversary of the day I found out I had cancer. I am glad to have it behind me.