Hello to ALL..
I am a new member and a nearly 8 year survivor of SCC. WOW, do I wish that I had known about this wonderful network of loving and sharing, caring people earlier (ESPECIALLY nearly 8 years ago)
I was diagnosed Jan 15, 1997 with SCC unknown primary, metastasis to right side neck lymph node, Stage IV. CAT scan on Jan 16 showed probability of right tonsil primary, later confirmed by lab during surgery. Surgery on Jan 23, 1997, tonsilectomy right side and right side modified radical neck dissectomy. (Never could figure out what modified was supposed to mean ) This followed by 7 weeks (35 treatments) with the rad beam (both sides of course).
I discovered lump in my neck while shaving just before Christmas of '86. While not usually one to worry about this type of thing, I somehow KNEW that I had to have this checked out immediately. Luckily for me, after visiting two Dr.s ??? who thought that at 47 years of age I had come down with mononucleosis, I immediately changed primary care and the new Dr. sent me to an ENT the next day. This God sent Dr. took a needle biopsy and had the results in less than a week. Even though on the day of diagnosis, I knew by the looks on the faces of his staff that the news was not something that I wanted to hear, he and his nurse could not have been any more caring, concerned and helpful and informative. I still talk to him once a year (guess which date) even though I no longer live anywhere near his practice.

Sorry for the long winded narrative, just want all of you to know how VERY important it is for ALL of you to be here for each other. There was a time when it had to toughed out nearly alone.

Jack