OK, here's my tough love voice as a Mom of 2 grown kids and a small grandson plus StepMom to 3 way grown kids and StepGranny to their 4 pretty big kids: YOU HAVE JUST BEGUN TO FIGHT, YOU ARE YOUNG, STRONG, SMART & LOVED. "Knowing" what contributed to the cancer you have does NOT have much to do with beating it. Your attitude DOES. You've done your homework, have a great support in your folks & your partner and good medical care available. Count your blessings and put your boxing gloves on kiddo, you got plenty to LIVE FOR! I know you're scared, hell, we all are, but that's part of living--it's just a feeling and you can handle it. Holding you & Seth in the light of good thoughts, especially at 1:30 pm PST on Wednesday! Ciao, Tina

Daughter of 75-yr-old Dad with tongue cancer (T3NOMO) surgery and rt neck dissec 4/27/05; completed 27 X IMRT on 7/01/05; recurrance w/ surgical removal of another SCC tumor on 10/7 (he's also nonHodgkins lymphoma survivor since 1/94)