Hello from Tom in northern CA. As you can surmise from my signature, I had SCC (HPV 16+) in my right tonsil and spread to a single lymph node. I am being treated by a major CA HMO where my Medicare is used as well. I have felt from the start that I was getting superior care through this HMO. They have been right on it and no time was wasted.

I have been lucky from the start as first symptoms was a sore and persistent throat in early Dec. 13, which went away; however, soon after I mentioned it to my dental hygienist who immediately alerted my dentist. When she noticed the unilateral nature of the swelling, my dentist became quite alarmed and insisted I get immediate screening. The head and neck guy thought cancer for sure and the biopsy of the tonsil proved out. 1/09/2014

When I read some of the cases on this site, I do feel lucky as the HPV involvement augurs for a good outcome and my case was not too far spread. I will stay positive that the cancer is now gone for good.

A week later (scans and MRI performed in the interim) I had to travel to a center for a cancer panel where I met with a team and was told that the percentages were good for my situation as of the HPV involvement. I was very impressed with the surgeon and qualified for surgery, so decided to have the surgeries done (TORS, Neck Dissection). Yowsah! Ordeals for sure, but thanks to my love, I survived them in good spirit. Learned I can tolerate the opiates, but they really throw me off and constipate me totally.

After a suitable healing period I was on to the next and more difficult stage of RAD and Chemo: RAD x 30, Cisplatin twice, on first day and half way through RAD. Again I had good fortune with the RAD as the surgeries allowed for a reduced regimen both in duration and RAD levels.

Again I was lucky, as a study that was presented at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium was released around this time and I was so fortunate to find it. It concluded that �Unilateral Radiation Therapy for Advanced Stage Tonsil Cancer Results in Favorable Outcomes�. I sent the study to all my doctors and really lobbied my RO for unilateral treatment. He agreed and in our next meeting urged me not to get the feeding tube which prior he was an advocate for. Unilateral radiation reduced the impacts enough for me to keep eating throughout. I did lose some weight, mostly from the surgeries, but now feel I am at an ideal weight.

Pain. I did not use any pain meds after the surgeries with the exception of Cannabis. I ate half a cookie every morning and still continue to do so. Several of my docs hinted or came right out and recommended Cannabis and my surgeon wrote the CA RX. For me, it is the best for keeping pain in the distance and stellar for managing the frequent nausea and butterfly stomach.

Current hurdles: rehab ROM in right shoulder; eating/taste; dry mouth; neck stiffness and pain from the dissection; fatigue; remaining positive, one day at a time.

I will probably address these in other topic forums and ask for advice.

One comment I would make here. I find the necessary evil of RAD and Chemo to be very destructive and a horrible torture for anyone to endure. My plan is to go through this protocol anyway as a prophylactic when I am sufficiently healed from this current regimen.

Almost 5 weeks since last RAD. Feeling a bit better now and then and now and then a bit worse. Generally trending to better. Starting to get some yard work in, hooray!

Thank you to all the caring and compassionate people who read and comment on these forums.