Today, (July 3rd) my brother Frank celebrates his 84th birthday. This is amazing with the myriad health problems he's had. Hip surgery twice, knee replacement, heart valve replacement, heart failure and those are just the things I remember. All in all he's in fair health. Still ambulates... sometimes with a cane, but does pretty well. He's on multiple meds and does get a bit confused at times from little strokes and the combo of meds. He's been very fortunate to have my sister-in-law who is a retired RN taking such good care of him. They have seven children and Frank spent 21 years in the Navy. He's been my hero since I was a little girl and for me he can do no wrong. I'll always love him and am so happy he's still here. Happy Birthday Frank!
Next Friday (July 10th) my brother Jim will have neck surgery to remove
one of his salivary glands specifically the sub mandibular gland. After several tests CT, Pet Scan and Biopsy his ENT surgeon says these particular glands (sub mandibular) are most often malignant when no cause for the enlargement can be identified. The surgeon told Jim following the needle biopsy that there is 90% chance it is CA. Of course that means there is a 10% chance it is not, and that's what we are hoping and praying for. At any rate they will take out the gland, examine it immediately (frozen section) and if it's malignant, more extensive surgery will be done. Jim is fully aware of the possible complications, but is now more at ease than when the testing was going on and there was no definite diagnosis. He's in excellent hands....his surgeon is the chief of otolaryngology (ENT) at Pennsylvania Hospital where the surgery will be done.
The lump under his jaw line came up rather abruptly about 6 wks ago. He said it hurt and felt like someone had hit him in the jaw. Several courses of antibiotics did nothing so that's why they started the extensive testing. Jim will celebrate his 75th birthday on July 25th with a sore jaw, but hopefully following the removal of a benign tumor. Please keep him in your prayers. And Carolyn too, because illness never affects just the patient...the family feels the impact as well.
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