Bad News

We just arrived in Sweden yesterday and we are having a great time. In the back of my mind I am worried about dad's biopsy and the results. He called today with the bad news. His parotid gland tumor is malignant. They have scheduled surgery for October 5, 2007. Don't know much more information right now. Dad sounded OK on the phone, but I think he was being strong for me so I wouldn't worry too much while being on vacation. He said that he wasn't even going to tell me until we got home, but I am glad he did. Not much we can do right now except pray hard. That's what we are doing.

Parotid Gland Tumor

So, dad did not have a stroke or bell's palsy. He has a tumor on his parotid gland. Here is what the Mayo clinic says about it... "Located in front of the ears, the parotid glands are one of the body's major salivary glands. They extend to the area beneath the earlobe along the lower border of the jawbone. Of all the salivary glands, about 80 percent of all tumors are most often found in the parotid gland. Only about 20 percent of parotid gland tumors are malignant."

Dad is scheduled for a biopsy on September 12, 2007. They should know more information about how to treat the tumor after this biopsy. I like the odds that only about 20 percent of the parotid gland tumors are malignant.