Hi Andy,

Well, silver linings abound notwithstanding the original bad news. It was caught very early, you had very little time to stress in between diagnosis and surgery, there was no spread to the nodes, you didn't need a neck dissection, and no radiation.

Most of those things are the biggest issues facing many with this crap disease. I too have been lucky so far in not needing radiation (yet), but I always have the the recurrence thought looming in the back of my mind. I try to leave it there, as whether I worry about it or not, I have no control over it. As a type A personality myself I am an admitted control freak...This process has taught me that there are some things out of my control, so I focus on what I can do - I quit smoking, eat healthy, follow doc's order, etc.

There may be times you feel down - I had a bout of that a couple of weeks ago. Don't discount that, it's a tough thing we've all gone through. I came here for help and got it. That's what this place is fantastic for...support when you need it, even if it is just a sympathetic ear or a kick in the ass.

Keep posting, and keep us updated!