Hello everyone, I have just spent some time browsing and wow, what a lovely community.

I have very recently been diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma of the left lateral tongue, not yet staged. Hopefully localized and not spread to any lymph nodes. I have a CT of head and chest tomorrow and then I will follow up with the surgeon next week for a definitive treatment plan. Most likely partial glossectomy, neck dissection, flap reconstruction? Scary. Possible radiation therapy after that although they haven't decided yet. Surgeon wants me to have my surgery in 4-6 weeks, so that's good I guess.

I'm shocked and processing. I am young, 31, non smoker and very light drinker. Completely healthy otherwise - had a sore on my tongue that didn't heal, went to the dentist and had it biopsied a couple weeks ago and here we are. No idea where this came from. It feels surreal to say the words 'I have cancer'. I feel so brave and optimistic when updating my family but I am pretty shaken up. Due to COVID I am allowed no guests/visitors at my appointments so while my partner and family are very supportive, in some ways it feels I am going it alone.

I guess I don't really know what I wanted to say except hi, hopefully I will be checking back in over the upcoming weeks and months for some moral support. I like to arm myself with information so I have been reading about a lot of your experiences and while I'm nervous of how this diagnosis may change my life you all are managing and finding the time to come here and cheer others on! I am grateful for that and hope I can do the same. I'm glad I found you.

Martha