HI Mike,
I live in Easton PA, and was treated in NYC by the best surgeon in the world (in my opinion.) Where in NJ do you live?

The advice up above is phenomenal. I barely have anything to add to the great advice. For me, it's been 14 years since radical surgery and max dose of Radiation. I'm cancer free and had no recurrence. I've had three neg biopsies, vocal chord polyps that went away naturally, a basal cell carcinoma in my radiated field, some perio issues, but no recurrence. I eat, sleep, kiss, taste, and do everything normally. Life is great! I work hard raising awareness about oral cancer, too, and tell my story publicly and internationally at healthcare conferences.

It's human nature to dwell on your challenges; it's a human skill to focus on your gifts. Keep practicing, and you will come out of this on top! If you want to call or contact me during a difficult spot, feel free to send me a PM. Eva

I know this is an old post but it has, to me, the two main elements of OC that we all have to deal with daily-our fear of the unknown and our reaction to it. Mike,if you read this, do yourself a favor and set a time limit to the fears and let your positive attitude go wild!
Gordon