Dianne,

Thanks for the kind words regarding my writing. The funny thing is, I cannot eat chips yet (they are too dry), hopefully by summer for grill season.

Susan,

I could not write this without specifically thinking of you and the way you got the news from your doctor. Although my ENT is a really great guy, if not a bit dry, he said �its cancer� in such a stone cold manner that any subsequent talk of biopsy was superfluous.

Don,

I actually had to go back and change my signature line. I had it at stage three also until my case went through the staging board at the cancer center. Most of the cancer was very thinly distributed and only a few cells deep, like oil on water. It was a smaller part near the pillar on the side near the tonsil that was minimally invasive. Just goes to show you that each case is truly unique.

I had no suspect lymph node involvement but they hit them just as hard with radiation. I�ll never grow a beard again but can manage a nice goatee.

I think the center I went to had the Varian rapid arc, that sounds familiar although I�m not sure.

Brian,

I would be glad to add the notes you suggested. I�ll get to that this weekend and repost.