Best of luck Bret! I agree with Christine that you should keep your appointment. If I had just ignored that little lump in my neck things could have only gotten worse.

I quit smoking 19 years ago and was never a heavy smoker. I was, however, a pretty steady drinker. Not so much when I was your age but as I got older it became a daily routine. Even though I quit 5 years ago the damage was already done. I am sure that's how I developed OC.

So as you can see, a life without smoking or drinking will keep your chances of a healthier life considerably higher. Believe it or not, I don't miss either one!

Only you can answer the question of whether to tell your wife or not. As a man our first instinct is to protect them and then there's the macho factor where we can tough it out solo no matter what. I can only tell you that I let my wife know right from the beginning and she was there for me all the way through. We are closer now than at any other time in our 40 years together. I am really blessed.

Good luck and keep us informed.

Ed