Hi guys,

I had smoked for 20 years - about 1/2 pack a day and did not drink. My ENT told me at the end of our first appointment that I had 2 weeks to say good-bye to the cigarettes. He flat out said if I wanted a chance at beating the cancer, the smoking had to stop. I have not had a smoke since mid-night March 29, 2004. I haven't even been tempted. I do now enjoy a couple of beers a week -never cared for the taste pre-cancer but I guess my taste is altered just enough that it's OK and the clean rinse on my throat is great-it's the only drink besides water that isn't slimy to my throat. My doctor is OK with the beer in moderate amounts - he says alcohol is more of a risk factor when combined with the tobacco. So all that to say that smoking was the likely cause of my cancer.

Pam