Hi all --

We were up at Hopkins yesterday for Barry's second injection of the trial HPV vaccine. While sitting in the waiting room we overheard the couple next to us speaking to a nurse about PEG insertion and upcoming "chemo class" for the husband's throat cancer. The wife and nurse went off to make another appointment and Barry introduced himself to the man. "I couldn't help but overhear -- it sounds as if you have what I had a year ago. It is a very scary diagnosis but I got through treatment and am back to a normal life, and you can do it too." They then sat and talked for a long time. Barry told him some of his little "tips" for helping with side effects, what to be proactive about (pain management, getting appointments, etc), and in general tried to alleviate some of the man's obvious distress. He reassured him that he was at one of the top hospitals for oral cancer and had top oncologists in his corner. We gave him a brochure for the Oral Cancer Foundation and urged him and his wife to get on-line. The nurse and wife came back to find the two men still in animated conversation.

When they had to leave to go to the class the man stood up, shook Barry's hand and said, "Thanks, your support has made my day. The nurses and doctors are all very helpful but none of them have been through it like you have..."

Which is why groups like this forum, as well as support groups meeting at various hospitals are so important to getting through the ordeal. No one knows like someone who has been there before.

Gail