My display name, screen name and real name are all the same, so there's no confusion.

I am very new to this. All kinds of cancer runs in my family, so I've been waiting for my turn. It's finally here.

I'm not sure what to write because my mind spins faster than my fingers can type and I get to the point where I'm so overwhelmed that I don't feel like talking. Not sure if that makes sense or not, but it's how it is.

I've always had a harsh voice for a woman and never thought anything of it. I'd sing one song in church and my voice would break. Again thought nothing. For the past year I've had a sore throat with a shooting pain that goes up through my ear everyday. I pushed myself cause i'm not the doctoring type of person. I smoke like a chimney too.

Anyway. I finally went to my Dr. and told her my throat burned when I drank orange juice, so she sent me to a specialist who rammed a hose up my nose and set a date to do a biopsy. It came back cancer, so he sends me to a group of specialists this past wednesday.

They felt up my neck, went out and talked amongst themselves. Came back in and ran this long hose up my nose and down my throat. Gaged me a few times with it and told me to go eat something light and come back in a half hour while they all talk things over.

I went had soup and coffee...came back and met 3 more drs. They rammed that hose up my nose again while 6 doctors watched and commented and left the room. I almost decked the one with the hose

One dr came back and said he wants to do a PET Scan. He wants me to do in house treatment there for 6 weeks because of how extensive the treatment will be and possible side effects.

He told me I won't be capable of taking care of dad, so told me to forget it. My life will change.

All I know is i'm tired..I did ask about non-treatment and he said if I did nothing, it would grow and I would choke to death

treatment...would be 6 weeks, everyday with radiation, but he's not sure until he gets results of PET Scan how much Chemo.

This is what the diagnoses is...

Squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottis with cervical neck metastasis, stage IV disease, with a T3, N2, MX

I have no clue what it means or how bad it is. I feel lost and am driving myself crazy looking everything up that I don't understand.

Now if you remember, I said I didn't feel like talking? This was written over time and I copied and pasted LOL...not bad huh?

Looking forward to getting to know ya all.

Ann Marie 2007 (I noticed another lady with the same name, so I added 2007)