Welcome to OCF Elizabeth. I am so sorry you are here being so young and especially in your line of work. You will find so much support here.

Your cancer is rare, almost everyone here has had SCC, myself included. I was also told if the radiation and chemo didnt work, my upper and lower jaws would be removed and rebuilt using bone from my leg. The radiation and chemo worked for me but I did have a recurrance a few months later. The doctors think it was just a tiny piece of cancer that wasnt taken care of the first time. It was cured by surgery which resulted in severe trismus. Please be very careful with trismus. It only gets worse and worse, please keep a very careful eye on it. Stretching exercises do work, I also saw a physical therapist.

You mentioned a peg tube. Are you also getting a port? If you need any pointers on PEG tube feedings, I have learned several tricks for that to be successful too.

It helps if you try to take someone with you to help write down your questions and answers for doctor visits. Also, now is the time to line up all the help you can get. Even for simple things like driving you to the pharmacy or treatments. If you call the American Cancer Society, they may have some things available to help you too.

Best of luck with everything.