Well, just when things are running along smoothly, I hit a bump in the road. This note I just wrote to Mayo Clinic explains it:
Hi Doc and your nurse practitioner (whom I have not met yet, but will on March 22).
My left parotid [left saliva gland right in front of the ear] bubbled up 2 weeks ago. I was, and still am, traveling in New Jersey. I right away self treated with hot compresses, sour candy, massage. I found an in-network ENT nearby - Dr. L. of NJ. He prescribed a week of antibiotics, saw me in the office and ordered an ultrasound (U/S). He just called with the results and assures me everything has been faxed to Mayo.
He said the U/S shows it's not a stone, but instead a "complex lesion" which he described as partly fluid, partly solid. It's 7 mm. There were also reactive lymph nodes that he said did not show signs of pathology. He said the largest of these lymph nodes is 1.5 cm. [I didn't put this in the note to Mayo, but I did ask what he meant by no signs of pathology and that means the fatty hilum is present - this is a very imperfect test but certainly more good news than bad news].
From my vantage point things are much improved...what first felt like an almond, then like a chic pea, now feels like a pea. My face was visibly swollen, and now it's hard to see anything. So, I'm really, really hoping this is all just an infection, but Dr. L suggested a follow up ultrasound in 4 weeks and a biopsy if it's either the same or has grown. I have the CD with me and I will bring it to my appointment on March 22nd.
Dr. L also mentioned maybe needing a CT scan. Will you be able to let the U/S folks know that they need to check my parotids? I figure the rest we can figure out together when I'm there on the 22nd. Thank you kindly, and I look forward to seeing your NP when I get to Rochester!
Be safe, dj
And so the waiting begins. I hate the waiting. Odds are this is an infection. But I can't seem to shake the fear of salivary gland cancer. A dear friend passed from his battle with it and another friend survived hers and is doing well. What did 150 millicuries of radiation do to my saliva glands back in 1996? Did it cause damage? Is this just an infection and I'm worried about nothing? Sigh.
Keeping me sane is Yoga. Yoga with Adriene. She's amazing and I do aim for daily time on the mat. I've been pleased with every other day as I pack up Dad to move him to Kansas to be near me. Also keeping me sane are the daily tasks of sorting, packing, sorting, packing.
I have a feeling the appointment at Mayo might grow to be lengthier than originally planned. The original plan is/was blood work, ultrasound, meet with the doc's NP later that day. Then go home. The way Mayo operates if they decide they want to do more, I'll stay longer and get it all done. So nothing changes other than pack some extra clothes and bring enough medication for an extended stay.
In the meantime - life goes on!
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