My name is Chelsey, I am 21 years old and was diagnosed with tongue cancer on December 3, 2009. I am a non-smoker, have the occasional drink, otherwise healthy 21 year old. I had a tumor removed from the side of my tongue on December 16, 2009 that was about 1.5 cm in diameter. Two days before Christmas i was told that the cancer had spread beyond the tumor removed and i would need to have futher treatment. 4 days ago which would be about 3 1/2 weeks post-op 2 small tumors have come back... I am going to the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver on the 18th of January to see the oncologist and the head and neck surgeon. I have been told that i will need radiation and more surgery. I am so scared and i feel absolutly broken. I am the first person in my circle of friends and family to have cancer and i feel so alone....

Oh Chelsey, 21 seems way too young to be dealing with this. I'm so glad you found this site. It will help get you through. If you have any questions, want to vent or anything then this is the place to do it. You will meet some amazing people on here that will help you get through the road ahead. Everyone on here has been through or is going through what you. Be it as patients or as carers.

Probably the best advise I can give you now is to stay positive, ask lots of questions and get as many calories as you can. Read this site as much as you can because you will learn so much. I did that and having some knowledge before we went through treatment certainly made it seem less scary, less of the unknown. Take care and keep us posted on how you are doing.

Wendy

Chelsey-You have come to the right place. You will find alot of support here. Pay attention to all the advice you get. These people are survivors and have helped me beyond measure.

Chelsey
Welcome to OCF. Im so glad you have found this forum. It will help with your questions and give you the support you will need to get thru this. When people ask what they can do for you, at this point just make a list and write down their name and number. After treatment stats you will need help with things.

Right now try not to panic, it wont change what you have. Try your best to enjoy yourself before you have to focus on treatments. Go out to eat with your friends and family. Eat everything you can and dont worry about gaining any weight. Once you start treatments they can be difficult and you might not feel much like eating. You could be pretty tired too. Being so young will help you get thru this. You may not experience the side effects as much.

If you have any questions, please ask. We will do our best to help you with honest answers. One thing that is very important, always take someone with you to your doctor appointments. They can write down info you may not have heard.

Best of luck with everything.

Hello Chelsey,

Welcome to the forum. Odd to get cancer like this when you are young, but it is a weird diseade! Great support here and advice to help you with your trearment. Many of us have gone through the treatment and we are still typing! Please let us know what the oncologist and ENT says.
You are not alone. I am sure that your friends and family is BC will suprize you with support.
You also have a thousand new friends here!

Steve

welcome to the OFC chelsey! u are very young but more and more i see that cancer doesnt discriminate. it gets the young, the old, black/white and everything in between, healthy and sick, rich and poor.

this is a super site with newbies, those going thru treatment, and survivors. u will get alot of great advise and support here. please keep us updated.

Chelsey

Sorry you had to join our little club. My advice is to insist on getting a TSH blood test of your thyroid BEFORE any radiation. Without a baseline of your TSH level before radiation, you will find it very difficult if not impossible to get any doctor to take seriously the long term complication of radiation damage to your thyroid. It may not happen, but if it does, you only need to take one little pill. I have had to fight for two years before I finally found an endocronologist to help me and that is only because I dug up a forgotten TSH blood test done a month before radiation. I know you are scared, and there are lots of things to do, but this is an easy request since the doctors will be doing lots of blood tests anyway.
charm

Chelsey,
I too remember those dreaded words. You have come to the right place for support and encouragment. Many of us have been where you are. I second what everyone is saying, eat as much as you can now! Rant and rave al you want. I know I did my share on here and was always encouraged. You will be inn my prayers.

Chelsey,

I have a sister your age, her name is Chelsey as well...I can't imagine getting this news at your age. I'd give you the same advice I'd give my sister...make sure you are getting the absolute best medical advice available to you. After that the only thing you can control is your nutrition and your attitude.

I'll echo what others have said, stay calm this doesn't mean it's certain death, eat all you can as you can and hit these forums to vent all you need and ask questions.

This site has soo much information and the people are here to support you.

Good luck my dear, we are here for you.

Eric

Chelsey, welcome aboard the greatest site and the mst intelligent peole for OC tha could possibly be. Mine measured out at 1.5 also but then reappeared on the rigfht side of my tongue,. It's tough but you will do it and win. We have had as young as 14 I think it was , a young girl from England. She kicked and won but after many problems. When you get into treatments, drink a lot of water everyday. Good luck and we are all behind you so keep us informed.