Networking Works!!!

Love all of your tips, emails, suggestions - check this out!

Matt got an email from a friend last night with a tip to check out a gentleman's story on Caring Bridge, which sounded a lot like his. So we did (visit it yourself here and/or excerpts below if you don't want to sign up for an account with the web site) and okay, we know NOT to get our hopes up and all that - but geez! He (Tom) was told by the U of MN, just like us, to get chemo, radiation and all that but he went to Mayo for a second opinion and the net net is they only did surgery and he did not have to go through all the rest! Our circumstances are different in a couple places - the size of the tumor and the fact Matt has already had surgery - but doesn't it just make you wonder?????!!!!!

**Nov 19 Addendum: Our physician friend Mike says "Whoa, laymen-friends!" after reading the above. He says what might look similar to us - with partial information on a personal blog - is inevitably very different for doctors and specialists. He, and this was confirmed by his ENT expert/friend, says do not get our hopes up around not having to have treatment (it is probably inevitable) but for sure to not get too caught up in the stats.**

So Matt is going to talk to Dr. W and see what its gonna take to get us down to Mayo, probably after the PET scan...

Stay tuned!

P.S. Hey he is going to the dentist today - huzzah!

TOM'S JOURNAL
Part 1
On July 10, Tom underwent surgery... A week later the pathology report came not as positive. The golf ball size mass included a 1.5cm x 1.5cm area of squamous cell carcinoma - cancer....It was determined that his tonsils needed to be removed as well as some additional biopsies in the neck area. Also the initital plan is for radiation and chemotherapy following the tonsillectomy.

First Tom underwent a PET scan to determine a possibly primary site and possibly spread to other areas in his body. The results showed no indiciation of cancer. This was good news! ...

[They then decide to get a second opinion at Mayo, even with various procedures, etc. set in preparation for chemo and radiation for later that month at the U.]

Part 2
Mayo, what a difference this made in our lives! From the first trip down with Katie for the 2nd opinion she told you about ... was a night and day difference from what we had experienced before! ...Surgery went very well and Dr. Olsen and Dr. Peterson came in all smiles with the news that they found the primary, removed it, did biopsies next to areas and found NO cancer, as well as the lymph nodes had no cancer. You could tell that they were very pleased to be able to give us that info as we were to see and hear it directly from him. Knowing that this was all a preliminary result and that we needed to wait for the pathology reports to confirm them made the night easier. They did come back the next day with great news that confirmed no cancer in any other areas. NO radiation, NO chemo, put me on an every 3 month checkup for the next two years. Wow, do I/we feel lucky!!"