Subject: [Harp-L] Tulsa Read Hit With Mouth Cancer

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Dear Tulsa:   We don't know each other but I'll be thinking about  you on 
Wednesday morning and sending out all the good thoughts I can  for your 
successful surgery.  
 
I took the liberty of doing a little research on Oral cancers.  25% of  them 
are not related to tobacco use (though that is the primary cause) and  it's 
mostly men who are affected.  Genetics could play a part,  exposure to sunlight. 
etc.   Perhaps there is a harp connection  if injury to any part of the mouth 
is ever proved to be implicated and  you sustained anything like that over 
your years of harp playing, or if you  developed a suspicious (whitish)area 
anywhere in the mouth and didn't have  it looked at soon enough by a dentist (most 
harp players are probably guilty of  that).  Obviously none of the 
speculation helps assuage your fear and pain  at this point.  I am so sorry for what 
you're having to go through.   Stay strong...you can get through this.  People 
here do care.
 
Elizabeth
 
Tulsa Read writes:
 
"Recently I had three operations to have part of the tip of my tongue   
removed; had my left jaw cut and drained; and to have a Cancer tumor   
removed from the inner left side wall of my cheek. I have lost some feeling  now  in 
my upper left side of my lip. I will be going into the hospital the  day  
before 
Thanksgiving to have an two more operations. One on my left  inner cheek  
wall the has nests of Cancer cells throughout it, plus  another  operation on my 
top lip 
that also has Cancer in it. I am a  non-smoker, and the  doctors have no idea 
if 
this has anything to do  with playing the harmonica for  38 years. These 
operations will not  only damage my nerves and lip muscles  to play harmonica 
good, but there is  no guarantee that the doctor will be able  to remove all 
of the 
Cancer  cells. I was told that if any of  the Cancer cells work their way to 
my  
brain, it would be fatal. I have  canceled all of my harmonica  seminars, 
private lessons and concerts, so I will  not have any income  coming in for a 
long 
time. This is devastating news for me,  since this  has been my job for 35 
years 
as a full-time  professional harmonica  instructor and performer. I'm asking 
my 
harmonica  friends, students  and my colleagues to pray for me. Thank  you.   
 
Tulsa Read"