Change in Plans
This past Wednesday, September 20th, we met with the radiation oncologist. This was to be the final preparation before treatment started. We would be spending a couple of hours getting to know more about radiation therapy and doing a simulation, a kind of dry run to make sure everything is lined up with maximum precision.
We both slept poorly the night before and it showed. We were the first appointment of the day and the appointment starts with a video about radiation and what to expect. We were to watch the video then press the call button for the doctor to come in.
As the video played things got real. It really sunk in that this was me, watching a video about radiation therapy for treatment of my throat cancer. I was doing my best to steel myself for the coming experience.
We finished the video and called for the doctor. He enters the room, shakes our hands and sits down.
"So, we're doing surgery then..."
Seriously confused look on both our faces.
"No, that's not us. We're here for the radiation..." I said, while internally I am thinking this doctor doesn't even know his own patient list. Not a confidence builder.
We go back and forth for just a minute more and he realizes we are out of the loop.
"Ah, so, you haven't heard from your ENT? He was supposed to call you..."
It turns out my ENT has been reviewing my case for a couple of weeks. He's consulted former partners and reconvened a tumor board discussion of my case. He's determined surgery is the best course - cancer is limited to just my tonsil and one node, I am healthy and relatively young. He thinks we have a chance to get it all and reduce, possibly eliminate, the need for radiation and chemotherapy.
Fast forward to Friday and the ENT confirms this recommendation in person. He tells us the risks and what to expect. I'll be in the hospital for three or four days. He's taking out the tonsil and all of the lymph nodes (not just the funny big one) on the left side of my neck. They will do pathology on the tissue and will know in a couple of weeks if I need radiation and chemotherapy. If I do, it will be at much lower doses and a shorter duration.
Now we are preparing for surgery, and for being very careful during the recovery. The smoothies and soup are definitely going to come in handy as I will not be eating solid food for quite some time. But, if everything goes as hoped, I could be done with recovery in a month. Compared to six weeks of intense radio/chemotherapy and six weeks of recovery from that, I will take it.
Funny how your idea of good luck changes under circumstances like this. Things are looking up.
