If my oral surgeon apologized to me, I would have never pursued a lawsuit. However, after my husband called his office with the news that I was diagnosed at Stage IV, I never heard from him or his office again. No card, no flowers, no fruit basket, no words. I’m guessing he called his lawyer who said to him, ‘Don’t …
“I’m not doing the Oral Cancer Walk with you!” my daughter yelled, and it hurt.
Dear Eva, My daughter is 21, lives at home and is a nursing student. When she was 10 my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. When she was 12 my sister passed away from breast cancer. Since then, we have participated in Relay for Life in her memory. When she was 19, I was diagnosed with oral cancer and now living …
Medical Mistakes
Medical errors happen sometimes. Linda Kenney almost died because of a simple medical mistake. The emotional impact on her healthcare providers were never addressed so she founded MITSS (Medically Induced Trauma Support Services) to help prevent medical mistakes and provide support for all those involved. The year I attended an MITSS conference in Boston, I heard Dr. Nancy Snyderman speak. …
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Scared of Treatment for Oral Cancer
Dear Eva, I am a dental hygienist and I have just been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in my right tonsil. I’m finding it all very frightening. I’m 46, but up until this I felt 28, fit and healthy. Or so I thought! I’m scared about the treatment. Jennifer Jennifer, There is a high probability that the squamous cell …
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When will healthcare providers do a better job recognizing the signs of oral cancer???
Dear Eva, I just had this crazy idea to contact you for advice/help. I am a 5-year survivor of squamous-cell cancer, My treatment included a tonsillectomy and a maximum dose of radiation with chemo. Lately, from the moment I wake up, I have a super sweet/sour taste in my mouth and it continues all day. Food tastes like the taste …