I don't do a lot of posting these days but would like to add my couple of cents worth as an overall expression of gratitude to many concerning my case.

I have read many posts on this site over the past 4 plus years since I signed up and must say from a diagnosis standpoint I feel very fortunate. Perhaps it is due to the obviously excellent staff at Emory University Hospital here in Atlanta where my "trip through the tunnel" began in April 2006. My only symptom of the right side base of tongue cancer was a lump on the right side of my neck, just below my right ear. The ENT who examined me at Emory spent maybe 5 minutes of poking, pressing and scoping my throat area when she announced that she felt near certain that I had Squamous Cell base of tongue cancer. She then "did the necessary" to get me on to a CT scan and fine needle biopsy the same afternoon. This was followed with a PET scan the following Monday and then a follow-up appointment with her on Thursday. The Thursday meeting was the "eye opener" when she announced that her suspicions of just a few days earlier had been confirmed with my follow-up tests.

Having had no previous exposure to oral cancer under any other circumstances up to that 59 year point in my life I guess I felt as though such a disease as mine was easily diagnosed. Wow! Just how wrong I was after reading and hearing of so many others and their ordeals with diagnosis of the disease now after 4 years.

Regarding the earlier discussed caregiver issues, I would like to openly thank and forever praise my wife for all she did. Even with never having had any medical or caregiver training of any type (always a banker) I don't believe I could have personally hired a better person as a caregiver. The thought of never being with me for every appointment during the ordeal never entered her mind. I even feel guilty at times when I think back at how I felt as though she was "smothering" me with love and kindness during the entire ordeal. She even insisted on doing all of my PEG feedings as I was so totally "grossed" out by the thought of such an unnatural act of pouring something directly into my own stomach. Just the thought of my doing that brought me to my knees! I even made the disastrous mistake of coughing on one occasion when she was feeding me and had my tube uncapped. What a mess that made all over her! She took it all in stride and never missed a beat.

I too hope for only the best outcome for MD. One thing is for sure, a disease such as oral cancer can easily reduce all men or women, regardless of position in life, to the lowest known common denominator!

Bill Dozier