My dad - update

Hello my dear friends!!

I don't post much because I'm trying to live life between scans and check-ups without thinking all the time about it. But I read your posts almost daily and keeping my fingers crossed that you all will be ok.

My dad is 6,5 months out of treatment (Cisplatin with 35 rads). On January he had his first CT. Everything looked ok, no cancer anywhere. Only one little lymph node was still a bit enlarged (2 x 1 cm) and it was partly "hot" in the scan.

Now, today he had another check up. The onc/rad doctor checked everything inside his mouth with fingers and a light. Everything looked clean and nice. No sign of cancer on his tongue or anywhere else in mouth or throat. She touched his skin and neck and couldn't feel anything - no enlarged lymph nodes. My mom asked her if she can feel that node which was mentioned on CT in January. The doc said nothing was there or at least she can't feel it. But she ordered an ultrasound of the neck which will take place on April 3rd (next week). My mom asked her what if there's still that lymph node which lit up on CT. The doc said that he can then have an operation (if it's not too close to the vein). My mom got scared and asked what does that mean... The doc didn't want to comment that because those are just speculations (she said) and we should wait for the ultrasound. There's probably nothing there anymore, and ultrasound is just to make us sure.

So, all in all... everything is ok, no cancer anymore in his neck... But it does worry me a bit what if that lymph node shows some activity and they can't operate? But even if there is a little lymph node which can still show cancer - isn't it small enough to operate??? Those words from doctor confuse me a bit... Many of you here had neck dissections, so it is quite funny that my dad can't have it if he'll need it?? But as doctor said, there's probably nothing there... and CT in January just showed false "hot spot" like many people have...

Let's hope this is our case too... On the other side, my dad is extremely optimistic. He believes there's nothing there anymore and that cancer will never be back again... What an optimism, ha?  It's me and my mom who get worried about every little thing. So now we speculate in advance without knowing the whole picture. It will be revealed on ultrasound next week.

Dad feels good... Can eat more and more solid food, still has some pain on his skin on the neck and a bit inside the throat where he was "fried" the most.

So this is little update.... Here in Slovenia there's still no sign of spring... we have snow and it looks like spring won't come that fast... very weird for this time of season.

Take care all of you - you're in my prayers and thoughts!

V.