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Friday 23rd April 2004
Today, I have been told that I have a tumour
in my neck.
Last November 2003, I went to my GP with a large
swelling on the right-hand side under my jaw. The
GP said I had mumps and said that they would go
away on their own but I was also given antibiotics
in case it got infected. The swelling went down
the next day but still left a small lump. This lump
had not gone by Christmas so I went to see him again.
I was once again given antibiotics with no effect.
I asked to be referred to a consultant and was sent
to see a general consultant at Airedale Hospital.
This consultant thought that the lump was just the
remains of my mumps but sent me for an ultrasonic
scan. On my next visit he said it looked like a
lymph node and to leave it for 6 weeks and if it
was still there he would remove it. Two weeks later
this lump had grown larger to a state where it was
readily visible to anyone it was also painful so
I phoned the consultant’s secretary who rearranged
my appointment.
When I arrived for my appointment the consultant
said he was not sure what the lump was so he referred
me to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) consultant.
I duly got my appointment for the week later. The
consultant said he did not think it was cancer,
as this would not swell then go down. He did a FNA,
which I did not find too painful. He also put a
camera up my nose and looked down my throat. He
said they both looked ok but would send me for a
CT scan on my neck.
I went for the CT scan this week, on the Tuesday
20th April 2004. I got a phone call on Wed that
I needed to contact a different consultant a Bradford
Royal Infirmary on Thursday. This set alarm bells
ringing and I did not sleep on Wednesday night.
Thursday arrived and I phoned the consultant’s
secretary who said that I needed further investigation
and made me an appointment to see the consultant
at 12:00 Fri 23rd April.
So today I went and the consultant sat me down and
informed me that I had a malignant tumour in my
neck. From there on it all goes a blur, as you probably
know. However, I managed to just about hold myself
together. He did another FNA and arranged for me
to go into hospital on Wed 5th May for an overnight
stay when he will remove the right half of my tonsils
and various other bits from my throat. It was then
that I found out that the lump in my neck is the
secondary site and they don’t know where the
primary is. I now also have to have a full body
scan to see if they can locate it. I arrived home
in a state of shock and started to write this log,
which I hope, will end in my overcoming this thing
that has invaded my body.
I had a shower before going out with my brother-in-law
but couldn’t seem to get myself clean as this
thing in my neck is an alien and makes me feel dirty.
Keep getting the shakes.
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