"Stop Going to the Doctor"

 

August 23, 2026

Ever since my breast cancer diagnosis in March 2023, it seems to be one thing after another with my health. After all my cancer treatment, it seems like every time I go to any doctor, they find something else wrong with me. I've had blood clots, sinus surgery for a blocked sinus, foot surgery for plantar fasciitis, another cancer scare, trigger thumb as well as a plethora of side effects from the aromatase inhibitors I have been on. At some point my sister plainly told me "Stop going to the doctor!". Haha. She has a point!

A few months ago, I started feeling pain in my right sinus again. I assumed it was from allergies. Since I didn't want to wind up like I did last year when I had to have surgery to clear my sinus, I decided that I needed to see a new ENT doctor since I was not satisfied with how my last ENT treated me or with my last allergy test results. The first thing the new doctor did was use a scope to see inside my sinuses. After looking at the sinuses, he showed me the picture of a mass he saw. He said it was not a polyp and he wasn't sure what it was. I could not have been more surprised, although at this point in my life I guess I shouldn't be! We discussed my recent breast cancer history and he told me that sinus cancer is rare, but it can happen. He told me he would prescribe a medicated sinus rinse to start using to see if maybe it was just inflamed tissue that would get better with direct contact with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory medications. He said in the meantime, we could do allergy testing the next week. And then we would follow up in 3 weeks. If I was not feeling better or it was worse, he would then order a CT Scan. After leaving that appointment, I was feeling uneasy about the situation so after a few days, I asked if he would go ahead and schedule the CT scan so I could get some peace of mind. The CT scan was scheduled pretty quickly and 5 days later, I got the results sent to me directly from the imaging office. "Differential considerations favor a neoplastic etiology such as an esthesioneuroblastoma (or olfactory neuroblastoma). Recommend correlation with tissue diagnosis." Well, that's not the news I wanted to hear. Once my doctor saw the CT results, I was sure he was going to schedule a biopsy. But he said the next step would be MRI's of the head and neck. Because of the time needed for both of these two tests, even though it was marked urgent, I wasn't able to schedule it for almost a week away. 

On the day of the test, they had a hard time getting a vein for the contrast. They were about to give up and tell me that I needed to reschedule for later in the week, but one of the nurses said she would try one more time and was able to get it, thank God! When I was leaving, I asked how long it would take to get results. She said they were backed up so it could take up to a week to get the results. About an hour or two after I got home, I got a call from the doctor. You know it's never good news when they call you so soon! He said the MRI did confirm the suspicion of cancer, olfactory neuroblastoma (or esthesioneuroblastoma).

Olfactory neuroblastoma, also known as esthesioneuroblastoma, is a rare malignant cancer that begins in the upper nasal cavity in tissues responsible for the sense of smell. It's a very rare type of cancer, with about 1 person per 2-2.5 million people diagnosed each year worldwide. 

https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/what-is-esthesioneuroblastoma--symptoms--diagnosis-and-treatment.h00-159780390.html#:~:text=Esthesioneuroblastoma%2C%20also%20called%20olfactory%20neuroblastoma%2C,people%20diagnosed%20each%20year%20worldwide.

After the CT scan, my doctor had already sent a referral to UT Southwestern and told me that they were the best place to get treated in this area. I already had an appointment scheduled for Sept 1st but he said I needed to try to see them sooner, if possible. I called the next day and they said they were booked but could put me on the waitlist. After doing some research and my limited interactions with them, I was feeling less than impressed. I had already started doing my own research and found a couple of other places that might be better options for treatment for this kind of cancer, one being Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and the other MD Anderson in Houston. Unfortunately, Johns Hopkins does not take our insurance and travel there would be tough. Houston would be a little easier to manage since it's drivable and I was able to find at least 3 articles of people with this exact cancer that have been treated at MD Anderson, specifically by Dr. Ehab Hanna. 

https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/olfactory-neuroblastoma-survivor-champions-self-advocacy-and-integrative-medicine.h00-159616278.html

https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/olfactory-neuroblastoma-didn-t-stop-this-survivor-from-achieving.h00-159775656.html, 

https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/olfactory-neuroblastoma-skull-base-tumor-survivor-finds-hope-in-treatment-at-md-anderson.h00-159304623.html

So, I called them. I told them the situation and started the new patient process. Once I talked to the nurse navigator, she told me that Dr. Hanna is one the best doctors for this diagnosis. They have been so helpful and communicative so far. I sent my scans and the doctor has already looked at them and started scheduling appointments for me. At this point, I have 4 appointments with Dr. Hanna and other various doctors (all rated 4.9-5/5) on Sept 1st and 2nd. And one on Sept 9th. My thinking is if I am going to have to do this all again, I want the best doctors for this diagnosis!

Even though it will be a little harder having to travel for treatment, I'm hoping it will be worth it. Unfortunately, my husband, Frank, already had his back surgery scheduled for this week and he will not be able to travel with me for my first appointments. But we have worked it out for my sister to go with me and I am so grateful for my friend Debbie who helped make that happen! I am worried about the financial implications of having to travel for treatment (gas, hotel, food expenses) and the fact that I will have to take days and possibly extended time off from work so I will be making less money than I was. And we were finally making progress getting out of debt so I'm sure this will set us back some.

But I know that God knows and has it all under control. And even though I really don't want to do this again, I am not ready to leave my family just yet so I will do what I need to do to give myself the best chance at more time. I don't know exactly what it's all going to look like, but all I can do is give it to God and trust Him. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 1 

1I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

2My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

3He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

4indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5The Lord watches over you—

the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

7The Lord will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

8the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.