My earlier appointment with the Professor was in his private surgery — this was in a very busy out-patient department of a very big and crowded hospital.
I had the obligatory waiting period — one thing I have learned over the last year is the patience and serenity to accept the long waiting periods that every medical appointment seems to involve.
Then I was called in to see Dr Schopper. He explained very thoroughly what they suggested be done. He told me that the Department had very good results with my type of tumour and had adopted a programme of chemo and radiation therapy followed by surgery. The first week of the therapy would be chemo and radiation together and would be done with me as an in-patient. The remaining four weeks of therapy would be radiation only and would be done as an out-patient.
The surgery would probably involve not only removing the tumour in the mouth but also one (the left) lymph nodes in my throat. Depending on the result of the operation it might be necessary to have a second operation to remove the lymph node on the other side.
Before all this there would be a et of tests and scans and also a small operation to tattoo around the tumour. This is because the radiation therapy could well actually make the tumour disappear and without the tattooed outline they would not be sure what to cut out!
For the major operation they would build a new floor to my mouth using a graft taken most probably from my wrist.
When he was sure that I understood and agreed to the treatment he outlined the whole thing swung into action. Blood tests were made (well the blood was taken for the tests), a mouth X-ray was made and I was sent to the photography department for photos of the inside of my mouth to be taken.
Lastly a set of appointments were made for further tests and scans.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment