Hi. I'm 52, male. SCC, sole symptom was enlarged lymph node, right side of neck. Was small, since it's been biopsied and cut, it's the size of an egg.
Tuesday, I had a bilateral tonsillectomy and various scoping and biopsies around my head. They found the primary cancer site in my right tonsil, which had eluded the CT and PET scans.
I have seven weeks of chemo on Mondays and radiation M-F coming up. Get fit for mask on Friday. Had to have two teeth extracted two days after Tuesday's surgery. I'm recovering from all that really well, I think.
Waiting for tests to see if I'm HPV-positive. I smoked for 19 years, 1973-92; and am a recovering alcoholic, having quit drinking in 1990.
I became a marathon runner, finishing my 22nd full marathon on May 30, four days after my official diagnosis. I changed my lifestyle and took care of myself; sure didn't see this coming.
The radiation doc said Wednesday that my chances of survival are very, very good.
My attitude is that I am cared for, I always have been, whether I've recognized it or not. I am lucky to be within driving distance of a top cancer center that does a lot of head and neck cases. I have a great, supportive wife (though I'm worried about the impact of this on her), good disability benefits and more support overall than I imagined possible.
I'm going to be the best cancer patient I can be. Learn what I need to learn, work at everything I need to work at � dental care, swallowing, getting calories down, moving around as long as I can. I've trained for marathons; this will be harder and hurt more, but I should be as well prepared for it as anyone can be. I will do my part every day and turn the rest over to prayer, support and the med team.
If that sounds brave, it's only because I'm scared silly and have no idea how else to approach this.