March 5, 2011

I begin this blog with some difficulty as many of you know of my previous blog keeping you updated about Jake and his cancer. I am again beginning a blog to keep family and friends updated on the progress of Ruth/Mom/Grammy as now she battles cancer. Here is the sequence of the events so far.

Dec. 9
Initial visit with gastroenterologist due to swallowing problems and feeling of "something" in her throat
Dec. 20
Esophogram (Barium x-ray) to evaluate swallowing
Jan. 3
EGD/Endoscopy (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy)
Jan. 17
Follow-up with gastroenterologist - gastric tract looks okay except doctor sees "something" on the larynx - barium x-ray shows aging of esophagus normal for an 85-year-old - recommends and makes appointment with ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist
Jan. 24
Initial visit with ENT - has hearing test (significant age related loss of hearing) and schedules scope of nose and throat
Feb. 7
Scope by ENT - he doesn't see anything (how, I don't know) but I say "she still feels 'something'" and he recommends CT/CAT scan and appointment at Voice, Speech, and Swallowing Clinic to help with age-related swallowing issues
Feb. 21
CT/CAT scan
Feb. 23
Receive call from ENT's office saying "something" did show up on the CT scan on the larynx and it appears to be cancerous as it also involves the lymph nodes.  Recommends and makes appointment with surgeon in Dallas who specializes in cancer of the head and neck
March 3
Initial visit with surgeon - reviews CT scan and does additional scope to view growth on larynx as well as does extensive physical exam of head, neck, throat area. Recommends and schedules biopsy to confirm suspicion that growth is a squamous cell carcinoma. Recommends chemotherapy/radiation treatment route instead of surgery/radiation treatment route as chemotherapy/radiation has the potential for the least amount of trouble with swallowing in the future.

Future Appointments:
Biopsy in Dallas
Initial visit with Radiation Oncologist in Fort Worth
Initial visit with Chemotherapy Oncologist in Fort Worth

We are hopeful that we have caught the cancer fairly early and that it has only spread to the lymph nodes and no other organs. (I imagine a PET scan will eventually be scheduled to check other organs as well.) We were also told that squamous cell cancer is one of the easier cancer types to eradicate as compared with the small cell cancer that Jake had. Please keep Ruth/Mom/Grammy in your prayers. She is in good spirits and ready to tackle the cancer. I will update the blog as often as I have new information to pass along.