When I first was diagnosed my ENT explained the options I had. Either surgery first and then radiation and chemo or do the radiation with chemo first and then do surgery. If I did surgery first it would be more than one, something about reconstructive, and therapy. So we chose the radiation with chemo first.

I do not know what the normal symptoms are for those diagnosed with bot because I really didn't have any. I went to the doctor to get physicals done the mamo etc. and she felt a lump on my neck. I really didn't notice it but now that it is gone I can understand what was there.

As for what others say about the nodes is true the only way to find out if cancerous is to biopsy. After radiatin and chemo my nodes went down and I no longer had a lump on my neck. But the question was is the cancer gone.. theu couldn't be sure unless they biopsy them and to do this you have to remove them. By the time I saw the ENT both sides of my neck had swollen lymph nodes so we had to have a bilateral (both sides) neck dissection.

It has been a little over three weeks since surgery and I am realizing I still need to take it easy to heal completely. I am not 100% maybe 70% better. The one thing that I think is starting to get through my hard head is it just takes time and I need to take the time to get better to heal.

I would like to also hear how others first realized there was something wrong. To me it seems like a very silent disease that people are not really aware of. (Me included.)

take care
Love
Terry