Hi Barry;

Nope, my tumor is/was not HPV based - squamous cell carncinoma - floor of mouth cancer that had spread to the mandible. My dentist sent me to Sunnybrook as if there was no other place I should/could be sent. In the early days I did a little research for ENT cancer treatment in Toronto, and you really only come back with Mt. Sinai and Sunnybrook. Now, that said, you can get radiation/chemo at a lot more hospitals and, I know my Surgeon is a professor at UofT and has credentials with UHN hospitals - he does surgeries elsewhere. So, from the outside looking in, who knows how this is all fit together.

I'm glad I had the surgery as all the 'visible' cancer is gone and the margin biopsies all showed me clear. Finally, biopsies of various cancer pieces showed none to be metastatic. Now, I was discharged from Sunnybrook on Sept. 10 and am just feeling better now. Having the radiation/chemo still in front of me is a little demoralizing as I know I feel better, but, alas, it's not to last. This is a journey that I'm getting used to - albeit slowly.

I lost 10 pounds through the surgery and am not sure what I will -or may- lost due to the radiation/chemo. I don't have a peg tube or a g-tube. the doctors gave me a tube down mouth - throat while I was in hospital. Really was useful while I had the trach. After the trach was gone I coughed it up. I have a secondary condition (unrelated) that messes up my blood vessels and I can get some nasty nose bleeds, so no tubes down my nose either. They might have to give me that tube if I start to lose too much; for now am eating - am aware also that this treatment affects everyone differently.

I wish I could bike to Sunnybrook. Alas I'm downtown (Bloor/Ossington area) and am not biking to Bayview/Lawrence. And, with 3" of bone missing in my left leg I won't be golfing this year !! - but I do have a jawbone...

Wishing you the best in your recovery,

Cheers,

Drew.