The ENT Appointment

My voice is much better than it has been in a long time. I can trust my speaking to be reliable. My vocal range is mostly back and the froggy roughness has mostly subsided. The rough bumps on my tongue have cleared up, the sinus drainage has ceased, and other than the occasional swollen gland and swallowing glitch, I am doing well.


I think that the ear, nose and throat doctor will sign off on me. I am happy to be coming in feeling so well. He will be happy with me. I meet another new intern. She is pleasant, runs through my history, then does a cursory exam. Open wide - say ah - say eee - say EEE. She sticks mirrors and depressors in my mouth and flanges open my nostrils. Then she palpates my neck. She spends quite some time on my throat area, but I enjoy the massage effect and chalk it up to inexperience.


I ask to hold off on the numbing spray because I don't think the doctor will find it necessary to scope my throat today, and she is happy to wait for his decision. I have a few minutes by myself, and then he comes in, happy to see me again. We chat a bit, and he repeats all that she had already done. He also spends an inordinate amount of time palpating my throat. Still, I do not think anything of it until he draws a stool up and sits in front of me, looking me directly in the eyes.


There are two small bumps in your glands. I don't think it is anything you need to worry about. (I have a hard time hearing the rest of what he is saying after that). It could just be a temporary thing that will self correct. Nothing major at this point. But I am not going to sign off on you just yet. Make sure in the next scan that they cover this area, and I will keep posted if anything of concern comes of it. I don't think it will. Especially considering that you will have chemo in August and will be seeing your oncologist then. Make sure she follows through with it though.


For one brief moment my head goes AAARRRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!! And then I am done. Right now there is nothing to be concerned about, and in fact, nothing may come of it at all. Hang on to those words, dearie. Just a little something to watch in case. Nothing serious. Right.