Thanks all for responding and making me feel welcome. I'm lucky to have my wife, the questioner, and like you said, Flo, I've dealt with the recovery. I also have great faith in my doctor at the Mayo in Rochester. He was my second opinion after I was first diagnosed. My first doctor from Sanford in Sioux Falls figured I'd need the full meal deal. He scared me, literally, silly. Many here know the message, sadly, too well. I should have heeded some advice I saw elsewhere on the site: deal with the fear; there are drugs for that. Pain from a tough biopsy and no sleep because of terror is no way to live.

The decision to go to the Mayo was pretty easy for reasons probably less about my illness than about avoiding what Sanford said. But this recurrence has my attention. I'm planning to have the doctor address my concerns at our meet in January--what are the characteristics of the scc I have? Is there a range of treatment options? What signs might I want to watch particularly for? If it moves and reappears, where will it more likely move and reappear?

I've been able to handle liquids better this time, getting nutrition from Ensure and ice cream. Last time I was a wakeup from going back to the hospital for hydration. Couldn't drink for two days. Pretty big mistake not to go quicker, something the likes of which I should learn for next time, on this site perhaps, or better no next time, the info lost in the haze of a long and busy life.