Ben,

I hope all goes well you'll be in my thoughts and prayers. I do want to tell you what happened to me. I went to 5 Dr.'s like I said in my previous post, but I didn't go into detail.

Here it goes...the last Dr I saw was a Radiation Oncologist he had my medical records in hand and asked me what are you doing there. I was dumb-founded. I told him the ENT (Surgeon) sent me here for Radiation on my tongue. The young Dr. who just came here from Mass. General told me he would never do Radiation on my tongue I needed surgery. He called the ENT he was so upset with him. The Radiation Oncologist had one of his colleagues come in to take a look, he gave the same answer, surgery. The Oncologist got on the phone and called Moffitt Cancer Center asking them if they have an opening for me to see the Surgeon ASAP. The Oncologist told me if you were my Mother you would be going to Miami to see Dr..so and so at a Cancer Center, Moffitt Cancer Center or a Cancer Center in the Boston area I can't remember which one he said. I had no clue what a Cancer Center was,I wanted to be near home for treatment. I didn't want to put anyone out driving me back and forth to Tampa.

Then I got hysterical for the second time here I'm 62 that was 3 years ago and I thought none of them (Dr.'s) know what the hell they are doing and I'm going to die.

I immediately came home and goggled Tongue Cancer that's how I got to this forum. A Dentist who has the same cancer as I do started talking to me online in the forum. After visiting this site for a few days he asked if he could call me. I thought for a minute thinking hmmmmm not so sure about this. The best thing I did was say yes. He said, let me give you my number and you can call me, I liked that. People on here know him he was very nice and told me what would happen. I was very grateful for him to communicate with me I was a little hyper about my cancer and what caused it. I blamed everything under the sun even my cell phone, how dumb was that. Everything he told me was right on the mark from my visit with my surgeon to aftercare.

When I walked in to Moffitt Cancer Center it was something I have never seen before. The kindness, caring, the place is huge and one thing I noticed was the high tech, the latest of the latest and the best of the best. I was told everything up front on my first visit. We're going to do this and that etc. etc. I took someone with me which you should do because it all went right over my head I was in a daze. My friend took notes, asked questions and when we got come he told me everything I missed.I was also told after surgery if any problems in the future no matter how many years down the road you come back to us you do not go to any other doctor. I thought you betcha.

I know this is long, listen to what people here are saying, go to the Cancer Center you've picked, but please ask questions start writing them down now, TSH levels etc. etc. You'll know at the end of your appointment whether you made the right choice.

Charm....I think you and I had this discussion before.....I had my lymphnodes removed 14 and all clear. My surgeon told me cancer cells are so small the CT Scan won't pick them up and to be on the safe side he recommended it but it was up to me. I did and I would do it all over again. If I didn't I would be sitting here thinking and thinking...I should have done it.

Ben....All of us here have been to hell and back with our own different cancer, most of us have a few good stories to tell. I know your upset and your mind is going every which way everything will fall into place and don't go away!!!!! Stay here with us the people on this forum are very knowledgeable. Yeah I know this is the internet and who is that person talking to you, we're all human like you.

Take care...Good Luck and God Bless.
Connie