Hi Bud:
Well we have several things in common, SCC and the VA. I am working with the VA in Little Rock and have been very impressed with all my dealings with them.

Stay after them to do the pathology work necessary to confirm or deny presence of HPV-16 virus. That is an important test; you actually want it to be present as it makes your treatment much easier and usually more successful than if absent.

As Tom said above, start reading the forum. But, also go back to the OCF main page and start reading all the stuff at those links. You have hundreds of pages of stuff to bone up on, and all of it is important. Right now be concentrating on diagnosis, a little later on Treatment. By then you'll be an old pro at all this stuff and know where to look when the time comes.

It's a wild ride you're beginning, with a lot of opportunity to feel down about having the big C and what you think it will do for your future. Don't let that stuff bother you. We've all been there and had to learn how to not let it get in there and rattle around to detrimental effect. You will get lots of suggestions here how to do that.

Welcome to the family brother. It's a big and very supportive group; let them help you along the way. They have a LOT of experience in this area and will make your ride go smoother.

And by the way, and especially on this Veteran's Day ...
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

Tony

Tony, 69, non-smoker, aerobatics pilot, bridge player/teacher, avid dancer (ballroom, latin, swing, country)

09/13 SCC, HPV 16, tonsillectomy, T2N0.
11/13 start rads, no chemo
12/13 taste gone, dry mouth,
02/14 hair slowly returning
05/14 taste the same, dry sinuses, irrigation helps.
01/15 food taste about 60% returned, dry sinuses are worse in winter.
12/20 no more sinus problems, taste pretty good