My daughter was three months old when I had to get a pre-surgery EKG. The technician said, "I hate women like you who just bounce right back after having a baby. I still haven't lost my baby weight after 3 years." Um, yeah. Tongue cancer is a great diet.

After my second tongue surgery a lady at the garden store asked me where my "accent" was from. Said she couldn't quite place it. I didn't know what to say so I just told her I had oral surgery.

I think most people are well meaning. I remember when I was a teenager working at a music store a man came in who had a really raspy voice. I asked him if he had a cold and he said, "no, this is just how I talk." I was mortified. I certainly didn't mean to hurt his feelings. I just spoke without thinking.

Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.