I wish doctors would realize that when you're speaking with them right after a biopsy procedure, you might not yet be right up to speed on the particular flavor cancer. Tom didn't ask and I didn't volunteer any info when I finally got to see him after the surgery. He was still pretty groggy. Just before Tom was set to come home, I asked the nurse at the desk for verification of some key words so I could get some general information online when I got home. She led me away from the desk saying, "Let's talk over here" -- and led me back in to Tom's room where she jumped right in about vocal cord cancer.

It was the first Tom had actually HEARD of it or the results of the biopsy. (The doctor had spoken to me before the biopsy -- but he said he knew as soon as he saw it that it was squamous cell carcinoma.)

Anywho, now I've got questions -- and so does Tom -- and it's a holiday weekend and we can't quiz his doctors, etc. until Tuesday. I'm even sort of guessing at specifics, because nothing was actually spelled out. I THINK it's relatively early glottal (true cord) (not supraglottal or the rare subglottal) squamous cell cancer -- but nobody's actually called it by name.

Arghhhh! And he's still got the chest congestion and cough -- how is THAT affecting his healing from the biopsy? Is it encouraging scar tissue -- that's why he's under orders not to TALK for three days.

Linn