skyisblue
29-10-11, 11:12
Today, I had the guts to go to an ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist in a reputable hospital in our place. My concerned mom accompanied me to the doctor.
As you all know, I've been struggling for the past 5 years with this painless and hard lump behind my right ear. The lump is making me fear that I have the big C.
Anyway, to make the story short, the ENT specialist examined my neck and the area behind my ears for about 20 seconds and came to the conclusion that it was just an enlarged lymph node. He didn't seem concerned.
My mother told the doctor something I have never known in my life. When I was a new born baby, I was unfortunately infected with tuberculosis. With that, it was from there when my mom and my auntie noticed this lump behind my ear. It never went down, as she can recall. Our family friend who was a surgeon said that it was just a lymph node.
My pediatrician (who was a pediatric ICU specialist) took care of me for 18 years and has always dismissed this concern as an enlarged lymph node. So now I have three specialists saying that it's just a lymph node.
Anyway, back to the ENT specialist today. He just ordered a chest x-ray to see if this has any bearing with the infection I had when I was still little (they called it "primary complex").
What freaked me out is that he said that there is always an option to have this thing removed from my ear and have it biopsied so that we can truly know what that thing is. Of course, that just sent me off to the cliff. I interpreted it as "I think you have the big C, so I'm giving you this option to have it examined".
Other than that, the ENT jut dismissed us with a warm smile and calm attitude.
What I'm fearing is that I've come to the wrong specialist. Should have I gone to an oncologist instead? :weep: Also, having him mentioned about the possibility of having it removed scared the living lights out of me. Everytime I touch it, it has no pain and it makes me more and more anxious even after a trip to the specialist.
My whole family seems to be happy about what the ENT told us yet as an HA, I'm still scared :(
As you all know, I've been struggling for the past 5 years with this painless and hard lump behind my right ear. The lump is making me fear that I have the big C.
Anyway, to make the story short, the ENT specialist examined my neck and the area behind my ears for about 20 seconds and came to the conclusion that it was just an enlarged lymph node. He didn't seem concerned.
My mother told the doctor something I have never known in my life. When I was a new born baby, I was unfortunately infected with tuberculosis. With that, it was from there when my mom and my auntie noticed this lump behind my ear. It never went down, as she can recall. Our family friend who was a surgeon said that it was just a lymph node.
My pediatrician (who was a pediatric ICU specialist) took care of me for 18 years and has always dismissed this concern as an enlarged lymph node. So now I have three specialists saying that it's just a lymph node.
Anyway, back to the ENT specialist today. He just ordered a chest x-ray to see if this has any bearing with the infection I had when I was still little (they called it "primary complex").
What freaked me out is that he said that there is always an option to have this thing removed from my ear and have it biopsied so that we can truly know what that thing is. Of course, that just sent me off to the cliff. I interpreted it as "I think you have the big C, so I'm giving you this option to have it examined".
Other than that, the ENT jut dismissed us with a warm smile and calm attitude.
What I'm fearing is that I've come to the wrong specialist. Should have I gone to an oncologist instead? :weep: Also, having him mentioned about the possibility of having it removed scared the living lights out of me. Everytime I touch it, it has no pain and it makes me more and more anxious even after a trip to the specialist.
My whole family seems to be happy about what the ENT told us yet as an HA, I'm still scared :(