Thank you all for your replies. Val is very private and doesn't even want anyone here to know that he has to go through this. He seems so upbeat to me that I'm guessing he doesn't know what's coming. We live in a small mountain town of 14,000. There is no big cancer treatment center here. The Dr. seems to have given Val the impression that this is "no big deal". He's aware of the sun-burned feeling, and the possible dental complications, but hasn't mentioned anything else.

Val had something removed from his tongue about a month ago that obviously tested cancerous. He's going to have radiation only and apparently it will be from his tongue, through his lower jaw, and possibly down into his neck. He has to have some kind of mask made to hold his head completely still during the process. Then apparently they will lift the front of his tongue and just radiate the lower portion, way back in his throat. That's all I know.

It all seemed too harmless to be true, that's why I visited this site. Hopefully, I, and all of you, can be helpful to Val. He already battled back from kidney failure about 4 months ago. He's a dear, sweet man who's already had his share of problems. Whatever I can do to help ....

Thanks so much, Ellen