ENT Oncologist Appointment
7:30am. I went to get my blood drawn yet again, with lab results soon on the way. I then proceeded to race to my ENT doctor. There is a mass under my left ear. He said it’s beign as he was just using his sonogram machine quickly over the mass. He said the mass under my left ear appears to be normal and it’s normal for it to inflame and go up and down. I explained to him MDA was concerned and wanted me to see a local ENT since I couldn’t get to Texas sooner. Also explaining MDA gave me a Head/Neck CT with Contrast script and how I’m waiting for my insurance to approve it. I’m so relieved the mass under my ear is beign. I just have to watch and wait. If you know me you know I do not like anyone going near my face/ears since I was a baby because I’m Deaf.
Dr D, didn’t stop there. He started moving around on the same side of my face after he looked at the first mass under my left ear, which I have had for two years. He then looked at me and stopped. He just carefully looked at the sono machine. It wasn't a full ultrasound because I told him I’m going to MDA next month. Doctor D said that he needs to biopsy right now how this mass looks cloudy and suspicious. Of course I was confused because I couldn’t hear his soft voice because he was wearing a mask. Therefore I couldn’t lip read. Nor did I ask for an interpreter because for a second, I forgot I was Deaf because it was too early in the morning and I was stressing out arriving on time because labcorp took a half hour to figure out my blood work code issue. I could not handle the embarrassment I felt asking him to speak louder.
All of sudden I thought my heart was going to fall out of me. I couldn’t breathe, couldn't see. Wobbling to the bathroom, I splashed water on my face in hopes to stop a blackout from occurring. As Doctor D went to visit other patients I took that opportunity to listen to some Coldplay. I use music to calm me down and I’m so grateful I can hear and enjoy music with Lyrics on Spotify. Talk about a life changing feature!
I haven’t had a biopsy since 2018. I was going all in, convinced he wouldn't be doing a biopsy today. I definitely wasn’t prepared but I was warned last night when I got the call to come in asap.
That was a rough 3 stabs of my life without numbing cream.I couldn’t move. I couldn't talk. I just screamed. I was numb and shaking uncontrollably. The shaking wouldn't stop along with horrific nausea. When I say to you do not allow Doctors to do a FNA biopsy without the numbing stuff. Please trust me and do not skip on the numbing process. The FNA Biopsy was successful and he put them on slides which was pretty cool to see I had to keep my brain occupied afterwards.
Many years ago, I didn’t see slides. I guess each office does biopsies differently. Dr D said he will call me in a week or two to tell me the results, which I’m very nervous about. My tumor marker and TSH have been high.
I also wanted to share something with you. Although I am not surprised, I’m just shocked and it’s a miracle after all these years I figured out why I was Misdiagnosed in the first place!!!! Well let me tell you why…
Dr D, explained to me and my mother that head and neck oncology is a very small community of Doctors. He also explained to us that he knows my entire medical team at MD Anderson. Now here is where you might have a jaw drop like myself….
He said that New York is two decades behind MDAnderson cancer center protocols and techniques. Doctor D has recently met with some of my team from MDAnderson a couple of months ago to discuss new protocols. MDA was here in NY to teach ENT oncology thyroid issues to his office to advance care in NY.
This is mind boggling. I couldn’t wrap my head around this, my jaw dropped. I had no words. Well, it took a decade to figure out why a Chief Endocrinologist misdiagnosed me back in 2012! I finally have an answer after 10 long years with this horrible cancer.
20 years behind in oncology?!?!? My head is about to explode from hearing this today. I really have no words. I can’t believe it. But thankfully I finally have an answer after 10 years trying to figure out why the hell a Chief Endo back in 2012 would not listen to me but almost killed me!
So, as you can see this was a very exhausting, traumatizing day. Now that he told me this. Now I’m beginning to think that my Grandfather probably would be alive right now if NY could get their shit together.
I just have no words.
That’s a wrap for this week!
🤟🏻 Danielle
