What I did at the time ... curl up on the floor and cry a lot (gently). And consider quitting. But then I kept on going. However, my situation wasn't as serious as yours. I probably could have stopped, since we got the whole thing surgically anyway. You had lymph node spread ... that's a lot scarier.

Are you on painkillers? That may seem obvious but ... my doctors didn't actually give me any painkillers till I broke down completely in their office towards the latter end of treatment. And no one told me I could ask. I didn't TAKE anything at home, because I had the stupid feeding tube and wasn't sure what could go in it. So ... it got pretty bad. So if you aren't already on strong painkillers and on a treatment regimen for your neck (I'm guessing that's where your burn is?) ... please insist on one. It does make a lot of difference.

And ... very gentle ((hugs)), whatever you choose to do.


Surgery 5/31/13
Tongue lesion, right side
SCC, HPV+, poorly differentiated
T1N0 based on biopsy and scan
Selective neck dissection 8/27/13, clear nodes
12/2/13 follow-up with concerns
12/3/13 biopsy, surgery, cancer returned
1/8/14 Port installed
PEG installed
Chemo and rads
2/14/14 halfway through carboplatin/taxotere and rads
March '14, Tx done, port out w/ complications, PEG out in June
2017: probable trigeminal neuralgia
Fall 2017: HBOT
Jan 18: oral surgery