Dan Bogan, you always say the right things!
I am taking Helen's advice and am going to "sort" my doctor out and insist on the sedation. If I have any problems I'm going to give him Helen's number, lol. Since Joanna has been there done that, I always judge this stuff around what worked for her.
Powerlifter, I may try the bayonet story until I have the surgery. There have been a few times in public when someone will stare much more then I feel is deserved and I will stare RIGHT BACK AT THEM. It's such a human reaction I guess.
Carol, I will fill you in on all I learn and hopefully will have had most of it completed before I come to Baltimore, then you can see it for yourself!
Miss Vicki, I think of you daily and will dance a jig when your day comes, and it will come.
Thanks for all the replies,
Minnie

SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.