What is this grape-sized bulge in my throat wall?

[toreroguy]

Six days ago I started to experience a sore throat.  Days four and five it hurt the most, but today (day six) it's calmed down a little.  At the end of day four, when it was most painful, I looked at my throat with a flashlight.  I have big mouth and can see a lot, and I can drop my tongue pretty low.  When I dropped my tongue I saw a grape-sized mass/bulge in the back of my throat.  It's in the middle of the throat and looks like something is trying to push its way out.  So the tissue has the same appearance as the rest of my throat wall, but it's protruding out.  Too far back for me to try and touch it.  But it's freaking me out.  What the heck could this be?  Mildly painful to push on it with the back of my tongue. I'll acknowledge that it's possible it has been present for a while and I only noticed it when I was recently looking at my sore throat, but even still.... I have an appt with ENT next week but the wait will destroy my nerves.

[toreroguy]

I should add that my tonsils appear normal and I have no other noticeable bulges or lumps in my neck/mouth/jaw area.