I had to laugh at a list of the best local doctors that was compiled by a magazine here in Chicago. One of the doctors named was the doc who told my Mom that the six week old, quarter sized sore in her mouth was nothing to worry about. Ah, man. Just when I was trying to forgive and forget I had to see that. I'm tempted to send him a note along with some brochures about oral cancer with the hope that none of his other patients are misguided.

Mom's caregvr. DDS failed to dx 01/03. Dx Stg IV SCC 05/03. Induct. chemo, IMRT, 5FU, H, Iressa, Neck disect, radiation. Dad's caregvr. Dx 01/04 Ext. Stg SCLC. Mets to liver/bone 08/04. Died 11/12/04. Mom tongue CA dx 06/13, hemiglossectomy (80% removed) 08/13. Clean margins and nodes, but PNI. 6/15/15: Tongue CA at base of remnant tongue. Declined further tx; hospice.
Died 10/13/15. What a long and difficult journey.