Diagnosis day ..

Hi Sammas. 
I was diagnosed with the same just 4 days after your husband on 18th Jan.  However, further examination by a surgeon the next week revealed the small primary to be on my tongue base next to left tonsil, not in it as the PET scan had indicated.   Non surgical treatment option is the same though.  I start on Monday 14th Feb.  Radiation mask made & planning scans done last week.  I’ve had my PEG assessment and am having that fitted next week too.  Don’t like the idea of it but realise I am going to need it.  From next week  Mondays- chemo & radiation, Tues-Fri just radiation - for 6 weeks. 
Has your husbands treatment started?  
I hope you are both adjusting.  It’s a lot to take in isn’t it, a very steep learning curve and quite overwhelming at times.  I cried plenty at the start.    I’m taking one day at a time now and trying to no longer think about all the possible nasty side effects all at once.  I will deal with everything if and when it arises and take all the medical/pharmaceutical help I’m offered.    Tough road ahead but striving to remain positive and focus on the cure.   
Really hope you are both in a better headspace now that you’ve had a little more time to process it all.   Hope you’re getting lots of support too.   

My full diagnosis is: T1 N1 M0. P16 (HPV positive) squamous cell carcinoma .  Tongue base 

Hi yes he started radiotherapy Monday and he has it Monday to Friday every week plus chemo on Tuesdays. He's so far all OK luckily no symptoms yet but this is only day 3... he has steroids now and anti sickness too as well as stuff we pre ordered on exemption certificate like saliva replacement gels, high fluoride toothpaste, mouthwashes and rinses all in a box waiting . I pre ordered all of it for him as the hospital said he will need it and I didn't want him waiting for anything so we also have protein shakes too ha ha ha chocolate and strawberry  yum.  Anyway he has no peg and hasn't been offered one. I know sometimes hospitals do different stuff like peg or tube and he was told possibly week 3 or 4. No worries if this helps you I've done my job x good luck 

Thank you for your reply.  So glad his treatment is underway.  Hope he does really well throughout.  

Some oncologists do seem to prefer PEGs to be fitted don’t they, when others don’t.   Does seem to vary.  

Good luck to you both too.  Maybe hear from you on here when he’s finished and recovering..?  There doesn’t seem to be much activity on this community regarding oropharyngeal cancer recently, only quite old posts,  but I’ve only just started using the site.   

Take care

Hi