 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Welcome to OCF! Im so sorry to read about your situation. What a horrible shock to be diagnosed again after 19 years.
Your options likely will be what you mentioned surgery and radiation. As with everything, everyone is different and will react in their own way, same goes for recovery. Ive seen many go thru it and Ive noticed only about 10%, maybe at most 20% be lucky enough to sail right thru rads and recovery. More patients end up struggling due to not being about to take in enough during the middle to end of rads. Adequate intake is one of the major components to getting thru it easier. There are so many variables that its not anything we could predict. I hope if you do rads that you get lucky and sail right thru. A complete recovery can take up to 2 full years, most patients feel pretty decent by 3-6 months post rads so it really is doable for most.
No matter what your treatment plan, we will help you get thru it.
Best wishes!
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
