Dear Christine, The road to your recovery from this will be hard at times and you will need a support system beside your 17 yr. old son. I don't believe he'll be able to do be your lone caregiver. The surgery and radiation will take several months. Surgery will probably result in 5 to 7 days in the hospital[depending on the amount of surgery] then recovery time at home before radiation starts. Radiation [this is generalized] is usually given 5 days a week for 30 to 45 treatments. Somewhere during that time, you will probably feel pretty bad- more toward the end and for a month or more afterward. Please try to gather friends, a church group or a local cancer society, social services at the Hospital, to your side and arrange for help with your home responsibilities while you fight this disease. Remember, everyone here has specific experience with what you are dealing with, and will answer your questions, give you and your family emotional support when we can, and will help you interpret the "lingo" you are going to hear from the Docs. I know it's very hard to go into this with a positive attitude, BUT you gotta have an "I can beat this" mentality! Keep posting and we'll be with you. Amy in the Ozarks