We make a decision, I think.

26 Jan 2010,
Today I find out a co-worker had the same cancer as me 13 years ago. He offers to talk to me about it and we meet almost immediately. He tells me his story and recommends staying away fromr surgery. Our bodies weren’t meant to be cut into, stay away from any invasive treatments. In addition to a tumor on his tongue, he also had a lymph tumor and they did a radical neck dissection on the left side of his neck. His cancer was cured by chemo and radiation. He was given the full dose of radiation and will not be able to be radiated again. He’s been cancer free for 13 years.

Dr. Akins called this afternoon and said they were recommending radiation as a course of treatment. I asked him about the referral and he said he was hand carrying my records to a colleague and see if they can set up the referral through the proper administrative folks. Meanwhile I need to make a decision and let him know so he can set up the simulation and schedule the treatments. My head is spinning again.

I talk to Terry and we discuss the pro’s and con’s of the surgery and radiotherapy and decide to go with the radiotherapy. I can probably learn to deal with the dry mouth.