being a father, fighting cancer
“Do you know why you’re here today?” the doctor asked.
“No, not really,” I replied. I have a dentist. A hygienist. And an oral surgeon. Before the scheduler called to make this appointment, I had never heard of a dental oncologist. Can you even get cancer in your teeth?
Continue reading “Dental Oncology”The past few days have entailed my initial consultations with my Medical Oncologist and Radiation Oncologist. They are the dynamic duo that will be attacking my cancer. The doctors said that cancer surgery on the neck area is “morbid” and “very invasive,” and that we are hoping to avoid that option. I shudder to think of what that entails. I’m sure there are YouTube videos on it, but I’m not typing that into the search bar.
I’m coming to learn lots of new jargon through this whole process — if there’s anything I’d like to contribute to modern medicine, is to help improve the communication to the general public. Medicine needs a science translator, its own Neil DeGrasse Tyson. I’ll put my name in that hat after these treatments are over.
Continue reading “Medical Oncology”
Radioactive sugar solution coursed through my veins from an IV in my right elbow. Cancer loves sugar. Within 45 minutes the sugar would be gobbled up by any cancerous masses within my body, to be detected by a special high-tech machine that would tell me if my cancer has spread, or has stayed in its little nook in my throat.
And now, we wait.
“It’s cancer.”
Dr. Dobson’s eyes said it before her mask-covered mouth could say the words. Even in my post-biopsy-operative anesthesia haze, the words still hit me like a ton of bricks.
The bright side is, the Dr. explained, my children are safe, this cancer was not hereditary. No, this one was all my doing. A silver lining, however tiny, indeed.
Continue reading “Hypopharyngeal”