Bill I know a lot of time has passed since your last post. It may be a bit pointless to respond after such a long gap. It is just that I felt for you. I am sorry to hear of the confusion you battled when deciding whether to take treatment. I completely understand what a huge decision it is to walk into a room and have chemo injected into you... repeatedly. I was seemingly in good health (even dancing two nights a week), no pain and just a swollen lymph. It seemed so odd that there was a major illness lurking within me when I otherwise felt so good.
It takes a leap into the unknown to trust that there is anything wrong with you and more so to accept that treatment that will go darn near killing you is actually for your own benefit.
Clearly your treatment path is well decided by now. I sincerely hope it has worked out well for you and you are on a solid trend towards recovery.
I think I am starting to ramble. It is just that I do understand what you went through.
I'm responding in the hope that anyone else that reads your story knows that diet, lifestyle and hope is not enough. I ate all the right things before I got cancer and none of it prevented cancer. So, it sure won't cure cancer. I was very fit and ate lots of veg and fruit and had no weight issues. My favourite drink for years before diagnosis was carrot juice, which I had a few times a week. I had to laugh the first time a misguided 'adviser (friend)' solemnly suggested to me that carrot juice was a secret cure for cancer and "one the doctors won't tell you about" (I forget the nonsensical reason alleged for the medical profession hiding the cure).
The other thing that compelled me to respond Bill was the mention of UCSD. My daughter is a surgeon at that hospital. She recommended I take the treatment. So, any doubts about 'would you put your father through such treatment' is answered in full by that bald fact. As terrible as the radiation and chemo treatment is, and it is terrible, the sad fact is that going through it remains the best way you can hold onto life.
All the best Bill! I'd like to know you are doing well.
Mark
DX 7/2010 SCC BOT Stage IV
Cisplatin x4 (could not take last 2)+ Rad
So far all clear!