Tom, Im very sorry you were diagnosed with OC! I know its shocking even if you anticipated getting bad news. One the positive side, you've already found our site. We're in your corner and will do our best to help get you thru this as easy as possible.

Take a deep breath and take this one step at a time, one day at a time. Focus on what is within your control. Start trying to push yourself to eat more to gain back the weight you've recently lost. You will want to eat all your favorite foods, desserts too before you get treatments. I know you probably dont feel much like eating but this is something positive you can do to help you to get thru it. You are young which is a big advantage too. The younger the patient is, the quicker their body can bounce back.

Your next few weeks will be a flurry of appointments. Your doctor will need more tests to determine what stage you're at and develop a treatment plan. Im not sure where you are located. If you can get a second opinion at a Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), start making calls to set it up. CCC's are the best cancer facilities with top doctors who use a team based approach so all the specialists are on the same page.

There's a few things to keep in the back of your mind (like you needed more to think about right now!) as you begin getting set up to get your cancer treated. Sometime prior to starting any treatments you will want to get a thorough dental exam and any teeth that arent in the best shape needs to be addressed right away. You will also need a complete blood test including testosterone and thyroid levels. It may seem like its something minor but it really is very important to get your baseline numbers now so your doctors know what range is normal for you. Down the road its not possible to go back and get the levels so make certain you take care of this before any treatment begins. As you begin to tell people about your illness, most will ask what they can do to help you. Tell them when the time comes you will let them know. Write down every single people who offers assistance with all their contact info. You will need to line up at least one person to help get you thru this so start thinking of who you are comfortable with having take care of you. You will need help even if you are able to sail right thru any treatment without any major side effects, you'll still need some help. That was something I really struggled with and paid dearly for being so stubborn and independent.

I recommend reading posts here and also on the main OCF site to learn about your illness. Click on the OCF Website link on the bottom of any page. As you begin telling people, brace yourself for all kinds of unsolicited advice and tips (most of which are NOT correct medical advice for our type of cancer...usually its squamous cell carcinoma SCC) from well meaning friends and relatives. Seems like almost everyone out there knows tips from a co-workers relative who's aunt went thru it and they just must tell you about it. You'll hear some really way out there things you "must" do that will get rid of the cancer the "all-natural" way without going thru conventional treatments. Just smile and politely say thank you. Luckily you have us to lean on and we'll be honest and give you correct up-to-date medical info as much as we can. We're OC patients/survivors and caregivers we do not have medical backgrounds but we have learned first hand what info we relay to you. Only surgery and/or radiation with or without chemo is what will eliminate OC. There is not anything at this time that will be an easier, less invasive way to get rid of the cancer besides those options. Chemo alone will not eliminate it but it can help to shrink tumors and make the radiation more effective.

Im sorry if I threw too much info at you. Im just trying to help you to make it as easy as possible. Hang in there and please do your very best to avoid smoking.