New Diagnosis 7/8/14 and Thank You to All

I was diagnosed on 7/8/14 with oral cancer.    My method of coping was to tune out a lot of the information the doctors gave me, I just went and did everything they told me.  I like and trust my doctors, I was just very angry with my diagnosis and thought it would just go away if I ignored it. 

I don't have all the factual information so many have on these discussion threads have (due to my tuning out).  I was having tooth pain and went to the dentist.  He pulled the tooth and stated I had some bone loss in my jaw and referred me to an oral surgeon.  The oral surgeon confirmed jaw bone loss, did a biopsy and CAT scan, cancer was ruled out.  I went in on 7/8/14 to have my jaw repaired with a titanium plate.  When I woke up my mouth was wired shut and I was told that the oral surgeon found some "funny cells" and it was cancer.  I went to go see the ENT/Head & Neck Cancer Specialist in two days.  This was so overwhelming, I just did not believe it.  The ENT ordered a cat scan, PET scan and after a hellish week waiting for the pathology on the tissue from surgery it was confirmed oral cancer.  The great news was that it had not spread below the collar bone.  I had surgery on 8/11/14, a tissue graft from my arm, 133 lymph nodes total removed from both sides of my neck (only one came back positive, 3mm near the tumor site) and the titanium jaw repair (honestly the worst part for me was the trach and waiting for the hole to close after I had it pulled).   All the sites came back negative for cancer (I don’t think I’m using the correct terminology).  I encountered a delay starting radiation, the ENT thought the oral surgeon had taken care of my dental needs and she had not.  So I went to the dentist and I needed to have teeth pulled so I will be starting 30 sessions of radiation and a test chemo type medication (I can’t find the name of it on any of my papers right now) on 10/6/14. 

I am feeling really good right now.  I started PT and the deep tissue massages and exercises are helping, I just realized today is the first day I have not taken any pain medication (including Tylenol).  As I felt physically better I started to struggle emotionally, I was doing “normal” things with my family and friends but I was not “normal”.  I was starting to alternate between crying and being furious about my diagnosis.  Two days ago I came across these discussion boards and have been reading them word for word.  I cannot begin to express how much better I feel.   Everyone’s helpful information and stories are so motivating and inspiring.  Thank you to all of you who are sharing your journey, you are blazing the trail for us coming behind you!