When is "just a lump" not "just a lump?"

Well when you've had a cancer diagnosis of course! I felt like I had finally gotten over the bizarreness of the summer when Bo started complaining about a lump under his tongue. So, remember the whole thing about his condition, whatever it is, is related to common salivary gland tumors, both malignant and benign. Wanting someone to check it, but not wanting to overreact, I called our dentist. I adore my dentist, but I admit I am still a little annoyed. He immediately referred us to a world-class surgical oncologist and made us spend a good solid weekend worrying. Of course by Monday we went back to the dentist who concluded that it was "just a lump," a common canker sore, to be specific, and it was gone. The lump and swollen node he felt a few days earlier were now hardly discernible. So, we still went to see the specialist on Tuesday who confirmed that everything was just fine.

But, it was not something I was prepared for, or warned about. Apparently, once you've been "marked" you no longer get to have normal ordinary ailments anymore. No doctor wants to make the call that it's "just a lump" or a sore, or anything, without referring to a specialist--CYA, I guess. I get that, and I could have expected it rationally, but I still wish I had the Dummies Guide to Cancer so I could have been properly warned that we, too, should hesistate before having every little lump or bump checked, and be prepared that every wart will be examined by an oncologist. Okay, I know that's an exaggeration, but it was not a fun weekend.

And on that note, our first Cancer Clubs will meet on Monday, October 27th, at 6:30, at Bethel Church. The kids' club will be for kids who have lost a parent to cancer. Our known attendees will be aged 10-14, but kids slightly older or younger are welcome to attend and we will break them up when we have enough members to form two groups. At the same time, the parents of these great kids will meet at a place in the building, or close by, where they too, can process their experiences--maybe the output from all our groups will be the true Dummies Guide to Surviving Cancer. If any of our Columbia friends want more information, feel free to contact me at thecancerclub@aol.com, or 573.268.4766!

Advertising these groups has truly been a rewarding labor of love. I have never felt so lucky to be working. Finding my way around the downtown churches was quite an adventure, but with the exception of one elementary school, people were so thankful and wonderful. I think being a kid is pretty darn hard, period, but being a kid that has to face such a huge loss, to put it bluntly, just sucks, and so if we can help even one kid have an easier time making lemonade out of life's lemons, I will have led a good life! So, back to making my own lemonade out of my crazy business... With love, Lisa