Updates

Hey all,

Not sure if anybody remembers me, but I was around the forum a bit last year. Thought I'd post an update and let you all know how I'm progressing.

First off, the last time I was here November I was having a "mini-crisis" that was NOT head and neck related, but I was being investigated for possible Sarcoma on my right leg. 

After a CT Scan and a couple of weeks wait, everything with that turned out fine. It wasn't Sarcoma, just some sort of chronic inflammation (fasciitis?) In the specialists own words, "Highly unusual to see this on the leg without a significant injury,  but completely non agressive."

At the same time as the leg saga was going on my mum had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Everything has turned out fine with that (so far) she had a lumpectomy followed by 25 rads. Other than taking one tablet for the next five years (her cancer was hormone based) she shouldn't need any further treatment. Just close monitoring from here on.

You may remember that what initially brought me here during February 2013 was the extensive white lesion on the gith side of my tonuge? After laser excision this turned out to be leukoplakia with moderate dysplasia.

Things have gone well with my mouth. Things haven't progressed or developed into cancer and overall my tongue looks good.

I still have one tiny white spot that the surgeon failed to excise last year (the spot is no bigger than a nail on a little finger and the surgeon said he thought with the main lesion gone that the spot should go away on it's own - I suspect he just missed it, LOL ) 

Anyway, the white spot is being excised on 15th April in what should just be a minor dental procedure with a local anesthetic. Obviously it will need biopsying, but as it hasn't progressed over the year I suspect it will again be "just" moderate dysplasia.

Finally, all of these heath shocks and the associated stress has taken it's toll on me.

At Christmas I had an outbreak of Shingles which infected my eye's. Out of all the cancer scares, shingles in the eyes has been byu far the worse experiance.

Absolutely horrible. I'm currently on a combination of steroid drops and ointment, anti-viral and strong antibiotics (the shingles also allowed a bacterial infection to get deep into my eyes)

Anyway, hope everyone is OK and doing well?

Will let you know when I've had my final patch of leukoplakia removed.

Regards

Gavin