I am so very thankful to Brian and Gary and everyone else on this forum and I am so touched by the emotions and compassion expressed here. THis Thanksgiving has been, for me, the very best ever! I spent it with my son, Paul and his girlfriend and family and friends. It was great sharing a meal and experiences and being able to laugh until the tears came and seeing my son so happy. Without OCF I don't know where we would be and I am reminded every day of the wonderful people here who helped us get thru those difficult days. When I drive along a road that led to the hospital and radiation treatments or past the drugstore where I used to pick up prescriptions or at the grocery store to find broth or soups or Boost, I am reminded of OCF and the friends here that gave me a " boost" and virtually held my hand and gave me the strength to keep going. You have all helped me to appreciate the importance of the "Now" moments and the blessings that come our way.

Brian, thank you so-o-o-o-o much for creating this forum for us, and for all that you do. You are truly awesome!

Ed, thank you for starting this thread to let me have a chance to express my heartfelt gratitude to those (my family, friends, medical professionals) who helped me go through the miseries and hurdles during my battle, without whom I am sure I would not be able to share my feelings right here. Although I have not visited the forum as frequently as before, I always have friends I met here before on my mind and my hat's off to Brian, who has founded such a wonderful forum for people sitting on the same boat to lend a hand and shoulders to one another at times of adversity. The rainbow that appears after the thunderstorm is really beautiful and it is my sincere and genuine wish that all friends who are fighting the disease now are able to see their rainbow soon.

Karen

As I am reading this thread today, I suddenly realized this is the 10th anniversary of my last radiation treatment. How happy I was. Over at last. No more getting up at 7:00 am to get strapped to a table at 8:30. I slept in as usual. I had arranged this early am schedule so I could continue to work during radiation. Day 9, I went down for the count.

My sister had come up on Thanksgiving with bag of groceries of things she hoped I could eat, most of which were off the menu for another two months, but she tried. Her new boyfriend was taking her to a fine French restaurant, she would order her usual salmon, no sauce (could we swap places please? I think I could find food I can eat). My Thanksgving meal that year was coffee and butter pecan Ensure Plus.

There was no oral cancer foundation to get me through this. I had never even heard of oral cancer before I was diagnosed. I had no idea I was supposed to sick for several weeks after radiation nor did anyone tell me this. My doctors were very positive that that they gotten it under control so I let them worry about a reoccurence rather than me. I was seeing them so often that if there was problem, it would be caught early.

Yes I hit another bump in the road 4 years out which cost me my voice box and am now a total laryngectomee but that didn't alter my life very much. Actually it allowed me to eat more.

I want to thank Brian for this marlvelous web site. Having gone though this twice without any kind of support, I truly know how important this site is to others which is precisely why he founded it.

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgving. Chin up, you can do this.

Take care,
Eileen

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday, I know I have lots to be thankful for! Carol