I Might Need A Victorian Fainting Couch (and maybe a new doctor, too)

About a month ago, as I was brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed, I noticed a rather large lump on the left side of my neck. Note: I know in the pic I've posted, it looks like it's on my right side, but that pic was taken in the mirror, so everything is reversed. I was going in for my regular 3-month diabetes check-up in a few days, and as I looked at the lump in the mirror, I thought I really should have my doctor check that out, but then I reconsidered. I currently have a doctor who, although he's a GP, prefers no physical contact. 

I'm old enough to remember when at the very least, every doctor visit included palpating your throat and jaw line for tumors, and once a year, there'd be a breast and pelvic exam, but those days are long gone. Several years ago, when I was still working, the health program at work was sending me regular emails reminding me I was overdue for a pelvic exam, so when I called to schedule my annual check-up I specifically requested a pelvic exam be included. But when it came time for the annual exam, my GP refused to do the pelvic. You would have thought I was asking him for a date. He told me I'd have to make a separate visit to an OB-GYN for that. So when I went in for the 3-month check-up, I didn't mention the lump on the side of my neck, and he didn't notice it. 

Fast forward 3 weeks to Mother's Day, when my son Chris, who happens to be a paramedic, came over to have lunch with me. After lunch he said, "Hey Mom, what the heck is that thing on the left side of your neck?" I said, "Oh, so it IS visible!" He replied, "Hell yes it is, and you need to get it checked out, right away." I told him I would, and that night, standing in front of the mirror before I brushed my teeth, I used my phone to take a picture of it. 

Two days later, I was back in my doctor's office, waiting for him to examine me. "What are you in for again?" he asked, even though I'd been very specific on the phone with the reason for my visit, and I'm sure it was written on my chart in front of him. I told him I'd found a lump on the side of my neck and wanted him to check it out. He looked at me and said, "I have to tell you, I can't see a thing!". I told him it was on the left side of my neck, and showed him where. Standing in front of me, he poked around a bit and said, "I can't feel a thing either! Do you think this is something that has just disappeared?" At which point I pulled out my phone and showed him the photo. His eyes got big and he said, "Holy cow! I can see why you called me! If you'd just sent me this picture, looking at this and considering your age I'd say oh yeah, that's probably CANCER! I can't see or feel it, but based on the pic, I'm gonna send you for an ultrasound, to rule out anything serious." 

After mentally giving him an "F" in bedside manner, I felt relieved that at least I was getting referred to someone who might be more interested in determining what this thing was. He specified on the order that he wanted an ultrasound for "lymphatics/venous/artery/jugular" and told me to be sure to show the tech the photo. The Imaging Center was able to schedule me for late in the afternoon the same day. To my relief, the technician had no trouble seeing the lump, and she spent a good 10 to 15 minutes mapping it with ultrasound. When she finished, she told me the results would be sent to a "neck specialist" who would write a report and send it to my doctor within 24 hours. I went home and against my better judgment, I Googled "ultrasound for lymphatics/venous/artery/jugular". Uh, yeah, not a good idea to do that. 

This morning I got a phone call from my doctor's nurse, reporting the results. It seems the lump is something called "A Prominence of the Jugular" (capitalization by me). Hahahahah! Does that sound Victorian or what? Thus my thought that I might need a Fainting Couch. If this was on the right side of my neck, a good doctor would be looking for signs of congestive heart failure, but apparently the prognosis is not nearly so grim when it occurs on the left side. I asked the nurse to send me the report, so I can read it myself and decide whether I want follow up. In the meantime, I'm thinking it may be time for me to find a doctor who's a little more interested in me as a patient.