Dear Dr Vinod,

Thank you so much for explaining what a biopsy is and the procedure, it helped me very much and although I was a nervous, knowing what to expect mean't I was able to sit calmly whilst waiting for my appointment .

Another Dr was going to do the biopsy but the nurse who I saw last week was there and seeing a familiar person made me feel more comfortable.

The Dr before giving me the anaesthetic examined my mouth and couldn't see the biopsy site. I was especially pleased that the nurse was there as she was able to tell the Dr.
They both looked but all the patches had almost disappeared :wow:

The Dr decided that before continuing that my Consultant should came and examine my mouth.

GREAT NEWS because the patches were almost undetectable, my Consultant decided that we could delay doing the biopsy and that I should return in 4 weeks time. They have allowed enough time at my next appointment to do the biopsy should it be necessary.

I asked about the abnormalities on the floor of the mouth and he said that they were precancerous .

After the first appointment I stopped smoking immediately. He felt that the patches on my lip were because of the heat, trauma and toxins that smoking causes and contains and because of stopping smoking the patches on the lip had, had a chance to recover.

I was so relieved, elated even euphoric as I walked out of the Hospital. It's a cliche but the air smelled sweeter and colours were brighter. I am sure that I must have been grinning like a cheshire cat.

After my first consultation it was as if my life had been put on hold. It is remarkable how suddenly every aspect of my life came into sharp focus. Just a sudden because of the clarity with which I viewed my life I was to see what was important and what wasn't. I realised that I had spent years attaching great importance to many things and had got worked up about allsorts of things that were, in the light of what I had just been told by my Consultant, trivialities. I then thought of all the years I had spent thinking and worrying about and getting worked up over and thought what a terrible waste of time, of effort for what? What did I achieve, the simple answer Nothing. I thought about had all that considerable time and effort been used constructively what I might have achieved.
I was saddened and angry at myself but turned my sadness and anger from being distructive into constructive and this has already had a very positive effect on myself not only in respect to this aspect but to my life in general.

The evening of the 18th March I spoke to a friend and it's mainly because of my friend's reaction to my wonderful news and their comments that in the title I included """concerns'

I would like to say that I do not agree with my friend and although I do obviously appreciate that you cannot make a diagnosis or on a specific case and indeed I wouldn't ask you to do so but in general terms I would appreciate your views if that is acceptable.

I will restrict this to the saliant points of what my friend said.

1) How can my Consultant say that they are precancerous without having done a biopsy and analysis?

2) That I should request a second opinion?

3) That I should insist on having other tests and scans to confirm my Consultant's visual examination.

They have questioned my Consultant's diagnosis.
They have questioned my complete faith and trust in my Consultant.

I repeat that upto telling my friend how I got on at the appointment and my tremendous news, I was so very happy, had absolutely no doubt and my Consultant has my total trust and believe.

With this conversation which lasted no more than 15 minutes from being EUPHORIC I was catapulted back to where I had been during the previous week.
Only not quite as this is worse in a way because of the implications and ramafications of what they said.
It goes without saying that I was and am very vulnerable at the moment psychologically as any person would be with regard to cancer and maybe their comments have effected me more because of this vulnerability.
But by so questioning my consultant and his diagnosis, I feel in some ways more frightened than I was before my appointment on the 18 and the question even though I am trying to block it out of my mind raises its head. Is this cancer or isn't it? :thinking:

I am comforting and reassuring myself with the following mantra: that before I saw my friend I was extremely happy and completely satisfied with my consultant's diagnosis and decision to wait for a month. That if they were concerned I would have had the biopsy then there.

Yesterday my tongue brushed against my lip and it felt very rough whereas on Tuesday 18/3 it had been very smooth. I looked in the mirror and to my complete horror I saw the patches again. They are easy to see but they are not as bad as they were when I saw my Consultant for the first time on the 11/3. The area is the same as it was before
They are what appears to be small pieces of my lip missing, Really small, like a tear.

I have not smoked a cigarrett since the 11/3 nor will I ever do so again. I have been given a second chance and I am NOT going to jeopardise it or my health in anyway.
I also understand that I cannot be in smoky atmospheres, pubs etc as this is very dangerous as well - passive smoking.
However some of my family do smoke, not in the house but the smoke even so fills the house, I had no idea before I stopped smoking, and I am wondering could my patches and sores have reappeared due to passive smoking???
My Father has told me that when he is with people who smoke heavily, even though at the time they aren't smoking, for example during a short car journing across town, that just the smell of smoke coming off their clothes etc makes his throat very sore and his chest tight and painful. I of my siblings is giving up because of me which is very considerate and the other is the opposite and the one who smokes, smokes even more than I use too in my past. The sibling that smokes, smokes before getting into the car, on arrival at the family home and apart from eating dinner smokes all the time. Indeed we hardly she them because they are in the conservatory. They even get up in between courses and smoke!

I am very sorry that I haven't replied before now, Dr Vinod, I really did want to but I didn't feel composed enough and needed sometime to think things through.

Thank you for reading this and as I said earlier, I am not expecting a diagnosis but any advice, suggestions that you are able to give me would be as always very very very appreciated.

Amadeus :yikes:

Dear Amadeus

It is amazing how our thoughts alter our perceptions from minute to minute :yikes: or . They flit about, without control, dragging us all over the place!

Stop thinking! Focus your thoughts about getting better - try prayer if you are a believer. You will find some help in the section: PATIENT'S GUIDE > SPIRITUAL HELP

Stop worrying! Trust your consultant's judgement - it is based on experience. Some lesions are classified as pre-cancerous, not because they turn into cancer but because a very small percentage eventually do - these lesions are therefore kept under observation or removed (depending on the morbidity this would cause). The 4 weeks could save you from unneccessary treatment.

I am off to work this morning, but will come back to reply any points I might have missed.

Get back to smiling - the sky is still a beautiful blue

Best wishes

Vinod :coffee:

Hi

I agree with Dr if the consulstant said dont worry dony worry perhaps the doc can correct me if I am wrong but only 1 in 4 precancers actually become cancer. Count your blessing and dopne ever smoke again or you will be the one in four

Dear Dr Joshi,

Thank you for your reply and for explaining about precancers.

I certaintly do have complete trust and faith in my Dr and his diagnosis. I mentioned what my friend said to me as I wanted confirmation that I am correct to have complete trust and faith not only in my Dr but his diagnosis, experience, expertise and as I thought you have done so.

I said to my friend at the time, when I could interrupt their monologue, that my consultant is an expert, has vast experience in dealing with cancers of the mouth, that he must have seen so many mouths during his career and people with precancers like me and that if my Consultant was happy that that was not only very reassuring but good enough for me. I also stressed to him that I had another appointment in 4 weeks time and that I would be closely monitored but nothing I could say made the slightest difference.

My friend did not accept this and although I was very reluctant about mentioning it, in order to satisfy my friend I thought I would ask you.

I mentioned the reappearance of my patches as I was disturbed to see them back but having read your reply I am completely reassured on both counts, and am not worrying about the reoccurance of the patches anymore

Having over the years been a patient of 5 departments including neurology, urology and orthopaedics all at the sametime, I have often said to my friend because sadly it has been neccesary to do so, that as the patient I must have complete faith and trust in my Consultant.

This is equally true of being a Neurology or Cancer patient. I feel sorry for my former friend, as should he ever become ill who will he ever trust, just how many opinions will he demand before, if atall, he is satisfied.

I have stopped thinking about my mouth, precancers, abnormalities or patches and am not worrying about it.

If you would like me to, I will let you know how my check up goes? I am sure that there will be nothing to report as all will be well.

Thank you Dr Joshi for your continued support and advice and reassurance. It has helped me very much during the few weeks to be able to talk to you and to read information about mouth cancer.


Amadeus

Hi Blitzbob,

Thank you for your reply.

I certaintly will never touch a cigarette again and I have absolutely no intention of becoming a statistic!

I certaintly do count my blessings as I have always done.

Amadeus

Hi

I can tell you that I would love to have had you consultant instead of the bully I had Your lucky he is willing to wait and see if anything develops its much better than ruching into treatment if you can avoid it DO and keeping an eye on you is the best way