 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Famous, thats funny!!!!
It sounds like your FIL is doing very well for having gone thru surgery so recently. This might help you with understanding the stage. My ENT explained to me that since my cancer was in the jaw bone, I was a Stage 4. However, it was caught so early it didnt even show up on the PET scan. I would have been a stage 1 but it was in my jaw bone.
When your FIL has someone there and his doctor visits, they should ask him/her questions. All of this should have been discussed before his surgery. Im glad you have found OCF to help guide you. Maybe it would be a good idea to write a list of all your questions and pass it along to someone in Syracuse. Then they could ask the doc directly. Once yor FIL is released from the hospital, he will have a follow up w/ the doc. That would be a good time to ask too.
When you have time, please add a aignature. It makes it so much easier for other OCF members to help you. Its under MY STUFF, then click on profile to add your info.
Hope I was able to help you.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
