My First 24-Hours After Being Diagnosed With Adenocarcinoma

The one thing Alma Jean didn't like about this snapshot was
that it made her look much happier than she really felt,
having just had a good cry. (photo by RN Michele Fortuna)

My surgery at the Martha Jefferson Surgical Center yesterday took longer than expected, and while everything went well, we learned that the tumor in my parotid gland represents a form of cancer called adenocarcinoma, a not so welcome piece of news. We were assured that it was all safely removed but I'll probably have to have a series of radiation treatments to make sure it doesn't reoccur.

I had a mostly restful night, with more discomfort from having had a breathing tube in my throat during the surgery than from the incision itself. The one Tylenol (Extra Strength) I took at bedtime may have helped, too, but I felt no need for the Percocet prescribed to take if needed. 

All the love and support from Alma Jean, other loved members of my family, church family, and many friends and colleagues were also a blessing beyond belief. And then there was the good work done by my ENT specialist and surgeon Dr. Alexiou and his staff (the best), and all the good folks at Martha Jefferson.

For all of my readers, a lesson to be learned is that any kind of suspicious growth on your face or anywhere else on your body should be treated with, well, suspicion. And as in my case, don't hesitate to get a second or even third opinion. Surprisingly, even then the biopsy done prior to surgery didn't indicate that my tumor was malignant. That was discovered during the surgery yesterday.

Our two remaining concerns following a check up with the surgeon this morning are: a) I'm having some impairment in tongue movement on the side of the face that was operated on, which somewhat affects my normal eating and speaking and may have resulted from some nerve damage during the delicate surgery; b) The several somewhat enlarged lymph nodes Dr. Lexiou decided to remove while doing the procedure are awaiting important lab results which we should have by Wednesday. If those are completely cancer free, then I can be considered "cured" unless some new malignancy occurs. If not, there is at least some possibility that other lymph nodes may be affected as well. In either case, radiation treatment should begin in a month or so.

Meanwhile, I should be able to return to some work (hopefully half time as before) and other normal activities in two weeks, so I'll not likely fully retire or disengage any time soon.

Adenocarcinoma in a parotid gland (in front of ones ear) is very rare, and in most cases, very treatable, yet just to know a cancer has invaded your body is a scary thing. So far, I'm sure I'm still in Kubler-Ross's "Stage One" in my grieving process, experiencing some disbelief and denial. But my prognosis is good, and I know that in God's economy, no experience has to go to waste.

Here's a promise a good friend shared with us from the Amplified Version of Hebrews 13:5:

(God) has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”