I just love the support I have received from our community. I was able to play Mrs. Santa Claus Saturday night and tell stories to children waiting to see Santa. (I'm the town librarian.) One of the volunteers told me she thought that I was only 50! (I'm 65.) It made my day! I am also blessed to have a group of ladies who will conduct a "tea" for me in January. They will come to my house, cook and make tea and set everything up. The group does this for women that they feel need some encouragement. They were going to do this last year, but I wasn't eating much then. What a group of great people!

Female, nonsmoker, 70, diag. 5/09 after tongue biopsy: stage IV. Left hemi-gloss. and left selec. neck disec. 30 lymph nodes removed May 20. Over 7 weeks daily rads. with three chemo. PEG removed 12/4/09 Am eating mostly soft foods. Back to work 11/09 Retired 4/1/11. 7 clear scans! Port out 9/11. 2/13. It's back: base of tongue, very invasive
surgery involving lifestyle changes. 2/14: Now speaking w/Passey-Muir valve. Considering a swallow study. Grateful to be alive.