Nelie, I apprecate your point about the option to request a second opinion. Already, my otolarygolgist and my RO are telling me different things about what I should do if we find simply one diseased node. So I'm certain I'll be in a real sweat if that comes to pass and I'll need someone to step in with a tie-breaker. My questions about larger, well-known head and neck centers was in part because I thought perhaps they might be helpful in that sense.

I also hope that I can find out more about the clinical trials with the HPV vaccine. It seems to make sense that someone in my shoes should be doing everything possible to take action to prevent future problems. My ob-gyn for the present suggested supplementation with folic acid, because as she put it, the HPV virus doesn't like folic acid very well at all.

Brian, I appreciate the point that you made above. I am certain that you are correct in your assessment that only the best should be sought for more advanced disease. I suppose my concern and above question comes from a lifetime of experience with neurologists who failed to meet my expectations and/or pain management with excruciating migraines. I spent many years in agony and seeking help without finding it. Talk about making the rounds with dismal outcome! Here, a little bedside manner AND genius go hand in hand. At least that is what I found. I can't help but hope for both in my future treatments because I found that only those doctors that had both really were able to see my pain and heal it. I've been lucky so far. Perhaps I will have to give up one for the other in the future, but I can't help but hope I won't have to. Especially in this most serious of battles.

RLM