Shell,
Keep that good attitude going! It seems to me that my life has more to do with my perspective than with what actually happens. You're very resourceful to plan ahead and call the cancer center "just in case", but sometimes we just have to learn to let it go after gnawing all the gristle we possibly can out of things! :-)
I had more than 1/2 of my tongue removed a few years back and I know that I can't really "taste" food the way I used to, but eating is still one of my favorite things to do, 'coz I eat a lot of "comfort food" that I grew up with or healthy fresh veggies that I've learned to love over the years. It really is secondary what my taste buds are signaling to my brain-what's important is what my mind makes of it; a taste-fest fit for a king and delivered daily with a great big smile!
You really ARE loved!
Gordon

SCC right tonsil Dx 14 Feb 03
No surg till Apr 03
Lip resection Sep 05 "frankenface"
Recurr Apr 10
2/3 tongue removed Jun 10
SPEECH/SWALLOW/DROOL challenges FUN!
Dec 10 Tumor @ nodes/larynx/cart artery growing
Erbitux Mar 11 Hyoid bone regrows!?
recur Dec 12
begin taxo chemo
10yrs-still kickin!