Oral Cancer Survivor

I was 32 and 8 months pregnant with my second child when I had trouble eating a banana with breakfast. I had been experiencing sore throat pains for about a month, so in my mind I attributed the pain to a swollen throat. But this felt different. It felt like the banana was stuck in my throat. I reached back into my mouth, way back beyond my teeth, and felt the spot where I expected to feel banana. Instead I felt a firm lump on the back of my tongue. I was in disbelief - still thinking it was food. But as I moved my finger around, I realized it was a lump that was raised off the back of my tongue. I freaked out and made an appointment with my dentist that afternoon.

Five days later I was diagnosed with oral cancer. This was a complete shock to me since I had no risk signs for cancer - I am (and always have been) a non-smoker, who is athletic, young and relatively healthy. In fact, I would say that my main vice was that I was a working mom with a stressful career. But at the time of my diagnosis I did not have time to consider the "whys" and "hows." Ten days after discovering the tumor, I was induced and delivered a healthy baby boy. Ten days after that, I was in surgery to have the tumor removed. The good news was that the pathology report showed that the tumor was an early Stage 2, but that it had not moved to my lymphnodes, so I consider myself very lucky. That said, I have had to deal with the effects of having a lump removed from the back of my tongue. My speech has been affected as has my ability to eat. I am recovering slowly and steadily, but some days are harder than others.

It has been six months and I am now well enough to contemplate going back to work. I must say that the stressful career - which requires a lot of fast talking - no longer glimmers with excitement. Cancer was like a flashlight, shining light on all the good things in my life. Everything else that I once thought mattered now seems pointless. Now I can say with absolute certainty that I will consider my life fulfilling if I am lucky enough to be able watch my boys grow up, banter with my husband, eat and talk.