Thank you all, for your welcoming replies and encouragement. Through all the weeks of treatment and using this site's resources we have experienced what seems like year's worth of time crammed into a few weeks.
Currently, we're apprehensive about a scheduled throat dilation 10/31. The ENT set this procedure up after hearing Mike's compaints of not being able to swallow well enough to even begin thinking of getting off the feeding tube. He makes himself try to eat everyday just to keep the swallowing muscles working.
SOMETIMES HE CHOKES ON THE FOOD! He starts gagging, choking and his throat makes gurgling noises. His eyes get all terrified looking and then he hacks up the piece of food. A few weeks ago this would send him into a panic and he would be too scared to try swallowing again for a day or so. He has since taught himself to stay calm and expel the "balled up and stuck piece of food". Of course, I am still terrified of this. What if he couldn't get it expelled? Could the Heimlich maneuver work with a Peg tube in place?
He still takes about 2,000 calories a day through the tube.
Hopefully this throat dilation will help.
The ENT could not feel or detect with a scope any evidence of remaining primary or nodule involvement. He spoke of a "selective neck dissection" as the next possible procedure to discuss. We threw a million questions at him as we were not prepared to consider this. After some discussion, it was clear we were overwhelmed and not ready to decide on this. The Doctor then proposed the throat dilation and while he was in there, he will do some "looking around". We agreed.
Since then we have been studying up on the pros and cons of monitering patient, using PET, and selective neck dissection.
The RO agrees with the ENT and tomorrow we have a follow up with the MO.