Hello everyone
Well it's been quite the couple of months! As you'll recall I had been sent for a chest X - ray as my GP was deeply concerned that my cancer had spread into my chest cavity and or into my throat. It was not what I'd expected when I'd gone to my GP with a sore throat, earache and painful swallowing action.
So the good news was my X - ray came back clear, so no spread of cancer to my chest cavity. My doctor had said at that time if it came back clear I would be sent to ENT to be checked for throat cancer...I really had expected to just phone up, not even have to go back and see him, get some antibiotics and be on my way.
So off I went with a ten day supply of antibiotics at 2000 mg's a day and my doctor sending off an urgent referral to ENT and I'd get an appointment in around two to three weeks. Well today I had my appointment at ENT.
I've seen the consultant, we had a chat about my past cancer, symptoms I'm having which are - burning in my lower throat, a hoarse voice I've had for around three weeks now, earache on and off, the start of a dry cough in the last couple of days which is driving me nuts. The feeling of pressure in my lower throat and sometimes like I've got something stuck in my throat. Talking at times is very difficult also. Fatigue is really bad at the minute.
He then checked my neck and throat area for obvious lumps and then it was time for the endoscope through the nasal passage to look at my voice box - I have to say I did pretty well with the gag reflex....it's really not a strong point of mine haha!.
After he'd had a look and had me make some noises and say some words which looked really funny....yes I could see it...very strange thing it was too! He pulled the endoscope out and sat down to chat with me.
The great news is no spread of cancer to my throat. The consultant said he was really sure when we were chatting before he saw my voice box that my symptoms and the state of my voice that he would be taking biopsies. He said my voice quality does not match up to my voice box, he said it's very strange.
So no cancer ( bloody marvelous ) - I do have some stuff going on with my throat which if you've heard me talking you'd not be surprised.
He said the back of my voice box is extremely swollen and isn't looking great. He said in the stomach acid there are also enzymes whose job is to break down protein in the food you've consumed, they don't normally even when someone reflux's come back up into the oesophagus but mine are - so they are in actual fact attacking and breaking down the lining of my voice box ( protein ) he believes He said that even though I'm on medications for acid reflux ( have been since I was 21 years old ) it obviously isn't working correctly and he's prescribed me something to help. I said in fairness my reflux has been pretty good of late - he said not good enough. He's prescribed a suspension to take on a night which in theory should lay on the top of my stomach acid like a layer of seaweed thus preventing me refluxing up to my oesophagus and into my voice box causing further damage.
He is referring me to a speech therapist which I really didn't expect. I said is my voice not going to come back on it's own? he said it may or may not. But my voice box had gone into protection mode because of the enzymes attacking the lining, he said it reacts in a funny way and I may need help from the speech therapists to help use it another way or retrain it. So they will either phone me or send me an appointment. Obviously it does affect my everyday life, it's hard to recall dogs when they can hardly hear you! So hopefully in a very short time my throat will no longer be sore and my voice back to normal.
So no alcohol or spicy food for a month to aid my recovery. I won't miss drinking at all, and will probably crave something spicy because I cannot have it haha!.....a month is no hardship for either if it sorts out my throat.
So on the 26th September I'll along with some friends and a couple of cracking cousins will be joining others on a 26 mile charity walk in aid of Dementia Friendly Keighley. A very small local charity wanting to raise some much needed funds to open a drop in centre in Keighley for dementia sufferers and their carers. I've not managed any training for it ( for obvious reasons ) - and am still living under my "I've climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro bubble".....because obviously I can do anything after conquering my very own equivalent of Mt.Everest!
I also am very happy to say my cousin Paul has signed up to come climb Mt.Roraima Venezuela in 2017! - I cannot wait for this epic adventure to the oldest geological formation on the planet!
Until next time
Tracy
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