My cancer update
Tuesday was first meeting with chemo doctor, he said we'd start out with surgery to install 2 stents,
one into the suction side of my heart (to inject chemo) and the other a feeding tube into my stomach.
Left that meeting pretty unhappy as reality was starting to set in what my future looked like.
Thursday was first meeting with the radiation doctor and he had looked over my PET scan that morning
and noticed that the lymph node the chemo doctor said was cancerous was right next to a tooth that had
a low grade infection. This doctor had a meeting with the chemo doctor and got him to agree not to start
chemo.
My vocal cord tumor is in it's early stages and very treatable with radiation, 6 weeks of 5 times a week,
then we'll see what's going on with the lymph node. He gave me a prescription to treat the tooth for it's
small infection. If after radiation treatment the lymph node does show cancer, he said minor surgery to
remove it was the best option, so small a problem chemo was overkill.
Next Thursday I go in and they'll make a form fitting mask for my head which they secure to the table
so I'm not moving around plus then they'll give me a schedule to start treatment.
Believe I got lucky having this radiation doctor, 25 years experience with head & neck cancer only.
Plus he believes the lymph node is OK, it's just fighting the tooth. Big weight off my shoulders.
THANKS FOR ALL THE GOOD VIBES EVERYONE, THEY'RE WORKING!
= new reply since forum marked as read
Hope you get better 
Been thinking about how you were doing.
and had Chemo (RCHOP) and 35 radiation treatments (IGRT). They made a mask for me also.
I still have the mask as a souvenir. 
It's actually pretty cool. You lay down, they snap the mask on you (it fits so tightly that you cannot move your head at all) and proceed to get the treatment. You will get used to the sequence and will be able to tell when it is about to be done.
You don't feel a thing but after several you might experience some gum issues and dry mouth from the Chemo. Also, it is important that you be aware that your immune system will be greatly diminished from the Chemo so be careful and don't take any chances.
For the dry mouth I used Biotene Dry Mouth Rinse and for gum issues my wife made a mixture of 1tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, mixed in a quart of water. The Radiation might make your face feel kind of blistered and for that I used "Aquaphor healing ointment" which worked good.
Good luck.....You will be fine it is not as bad as you might imagine. It will pass quicker than you realize. Keep us informed on your progress, you've got this!!
Peace and Love!!
And healing vibes. Please keep us posted.
Keeping the good vibes going your way.
We love you.
My son went through all this. He is Stage IV, but after 5 years still doing all right.
Just live one day at a time!
His voice ever get back to normal? 
When his extremely rare medullary thyroid cancer was discovered, it had already spread to dozens of lymph nodes, and tumors had wrapped around his vocal cords and major blood vessels.
Three H&N surgeons and another on video screen worked for hours, and he emerged with 42 staples in his neck and four drains - one rubbing against a major nerve that would send shock waves down his body. They were able to save one vocal cord, for which we are eternally grateful. His voice is very different but not unpleasant, and speaking tires him, but he never complains and is able to do his job and talk on the phone, etc. His ability to speak as well as he does baffles the surgeons!
There are some treatments that can help the vocal cords. Heal up well, and have your doctors check into those.
I think you will do fine.
My next meeting with him or his nurse I'll have to ask them what will happen to my voice in the long
run as I've forgotten to ask. Only thing they said about my voice was best to keep my big mouth
shut during treatment. 
They did say that in a professional way.
your way. Your experience proves that getting a second opinion is always best.
Healing Hugs
He's from a small town in Montana, after medical school spent 5 years at the largest cancer center in
Utah when he and his wife decided raising their kids in a large metropolitan area was not the best place
for them to grow up. So they looked around for small towns with a cancer center and decided to move
here, he's been here 20+ years now.
Any doctor who will butt heads with his fellow doctors with "This guy doesn't need chemo, don't put him
through the pain and expense of chemo" (his actual quotes) has my vote and will recommend him to
anyone who has cancer. Glad you bet yours!
try not to let the fear get you down...difficult sometimes I know...it did plague me sometimes as I prepared for the worst. But here I am 4 years from the chemo-radiation. I had to carry a chemo pump around 5 days a week. Got the weekends off like you. But 5 years from diagnosis, treatments for months and finally remission. Of course, I only have 1/3 of a bladder left. But a small price to pay. Fight laugh when you can and try and stay positive in the face of an enemy. I LAUGHED AND JOKED WITH THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL DURING TREATMENT. And that buoyed my emotions to keep fighting. I will keep sending good vibes in your direction...
just find humour and feed off it if that makes any sense.
Stay peaceful if you can