My Dream Team of Docs & Postoperative Recovery Crew
When we moved to NC my expectations for finding a new dentist were exponentially high. By God’s grace I found White, Haines and Papp Advanced Dentistry, a five star practice thanks especially to Dr. Clair Papp DMD. If you’ve ever studied Deborah from the Book of Judges, a woman whose strength and compassion guides a group of men to defeat an army, then you already know something about Dr. Papp. Her guiding light, combined with her passion for patient care, shines bright and goes deep. I had the blessing of experiencing her expertise first hand during my very first appointment. Not only is she my new dentist, but Dr. Papp is also pouring into Simply Spoken Life with her gifts and talents.
Dr. Claire Papp
White & Haines
My amazing team back in Indianapolis
: : : DIAGNOSIS SUPPORT : : :
Tillery Family Dental
Dr. Michael Tillery
Dr. Tillery owned and operated Tillery Family Dental in Indianapolis for 45 years. I was blessed to be under his care in that space. These days, Dr. Tillery calls Elite Smiles Dental in Wabash Valley his home. Had I not been under the care of he and his staff in 2019, it’s possible that I might not be alive today. That’s because Dr. Tillery’s Indy team discovered precancerous lesions under my tongue during a routine dental exam and insisted I see an oral surgeon. I am delighted that Dr. Tillery and his wife Anita (pictured) have become like family to me since that first visit and I miss being in his care.
: : : BIOPSY SUPPORT : : :
Oral Surgeons of Indiana
Dr. Mark Anderson (Retired)
Dr. Mark Anderson provided the most highly skilled care during the biopsy and precancer phase of my disease. He had been specifically trained in oral surgery techniques and procedures and served as the Assistant Professor of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Indiana University from 1995 to 1999. Suffice it to say, Dr. Anderson did a remarkable job educating me about my disease while treating me with kindness and integrity. Dr. Anderson also taught me the value of sourcing the most accurate and up to date information when seeking medical guidance on line.
: : : SURGERY SUPPORT : : :
Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, IU Health
Dr. Michael Sim
Dr. Sim is an ENT-Otolaryngologist at IU Health and he is the Director of the Robotic Head and Neck Surgery Program at Indiana University. Dr. Sim is the first doctor in Indiana to perform robotic surgery that uses a single port for the robotic instruments. The mastery of his craft is clearly genius. My glossectomy was both time and task intensive, spanning nearly six-hours. But the result of his work has me praising the name of Jesus with a beautiful “new” tongue! It was a phone call he and I shared seven months after my glossectomy that inspired the creation of this website so we just had to give him a nod with my logo design. (Note the first three letters in Simply.) Blessings to Dr. Sim.
: : : POST OPERATIVE CARE SUPPORT : : :
: : : POST OPERATIVE CARE SUPPORT : : :
Indy Health and Fitness Chiropractic Care
Dr. Rob Schroeder (“Dr. Rob”)
I had been a patent of Dr. Rob’s for nearly 15-years, including while I was pregnant with Ryan, before we moved to NC. Suffice it to say, I trusted him implicitly. After glossectomy surgery my jaw was not functioning like it had before. I could hear a popping sound when I yawned and I was developing bad habits to avoid the occasional discomfort of eating. I went to Dr. Rob for help about three months post op. He immediately noticed that my face appeared cooked and moved it back into alignment. The relief I experienced was instant! I still recommend Dr. Rob to my friends back in Indy.
: : : POST OPERATIVE CARE SUPPORT : : :
Muscular & Scar Care / Certified Athletic Trainer, Soft Tissue, Mobility Specialist
Taylor Harris, MA, ATC, LAT
Taylor Harris is part of Indianapolis’ best medical provider team for sports performance located at Indy Health and Fitness. His talents as a soft tissue and mobility specialist substantially improved my life following glossectomy surgery. The procedure left an eight-inch scar on my arm and another on my neck spanning from behind my ear to the middle of my throat. By the time I arrived at my first appointment with Taylor, both scars had developed tight, painful knots underneath them. I was also experiencing nerve pain and numbness in my thumb and hand. After receiving treatment from Taylor, my scars became significantly less painful. Their appearance is also softer and the mobility in my neck and arm has significantly improved.
: : : POST OPERATIVE CARE SUPPORT : : :
Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer
I discovered Support For People With Oral Head And Neck Cancer (SPOHNC) by attending cancer support group meetings at the IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center. Having significantly benefited from peer-to-peer counseling in this setting, I joined SPOHNC as a member. I am now in SOHNC’s national database of peer counselors. In doing so, I am matched with individuals who are navigating oral cancer in real time to offer friendship and compassion. I appreciate the continued care SPOHNC’s entire team keeps extending to me and appreciate them sharing my story in their national newsletter.
Oncology Social Worker, Certified Health and Wellness Coach
Michelle Hoy, LCSW, OSW-C, CHWC
Michelle Hoy is an experienced Oncology Social Worker with a history of working in the hospital and healthcare industry, and I thank God for her! I have been blessed by Michelle through group Zoom therapy sessions she hosted through Indiana University Health following my glossectomy. Michelle is also revered for her expertise in Grief Counseling, Social Services, Group Therapy, Clinical Research, CBT, and Crisis Intervention. Michelle is a remarkable listener and guide. Having her speak into my life, post oral cancer, has helped keep my spirit at peace.
: : : ORTHODONTIC CARE : : :
Gorman and Bunch Orthodontics
Dr. Jason Bunch, DDS, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Dr. Jason Bunch of Gorman and Bunch Orthodontics earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree with distinction, as well as his Masters of Science degree in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, from Indiana University School of Dentistry. He has also been one of the top 1% of Invisalign providers in North America for two decades. Just months before my oral cancer diagnosis I had completed Invisalign treatment under Dr. Bunch’s care and was thrilled with the result. Sadly however, painful precancerous blisters on my tongue prevented me from wearing the Invisalign maintenance liners and my teeth moved out of perfect placement. After fully recovering from oral cancer, I returned to Dr. Bunch and he fit me for Invisalign once more. I’m so excited to have my straight teeth and smile back again!