Well the surgery is not fun, but it's better than rads and chemo. My surgery was 14 hours they removed 40 lymphnodes one was positive. Recovery from surgery was quick, not so much on the rads and I faired really well through it. It's just that it does long lasting damage. It took me a year to feel normal. HPV does respond very well to rads but as you said it is a virus and can lay dormant. That's the fear. However this treatment is doable with preparation, planning for the worst and hoping for the best, and determination. You will get through it, hugs.