Hi, It's me David :)

If you watched my video, it is pretty self explanatory... but here is the longer version for you:

At seemingly the end of covid last May when I got my 1st vaccine, when everything was looking up again, I was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the tonsil, upper palate, and right cheek area, and a little on the right side of my tongue.

I discovered this back in May because [along with a sore throat] while eating food, or something sour, my right jaw would flare into incredible pain but dissipate after a short time. I was sent to a dentist who discovered a lesion on my right jaw, and noticed 2 lymph nodes growing larger under my jaw. After 3 biopsies they determined what it was I had. Luckily the Radiation Oncology Doctor told me straight up front that they aim to "cure" this cancer and how they would do it. After having learned a lot about cancer in the past, I decided to go with science and their methods of eradicating cancer... as damaging as it can be.

After the tests were done, I received my schedule of treatments which would begin July 5, but I had some complications because the mass had grown quickly, and I needed to be hospitalized (6 days) for my 1st chemo sessions just to make sure I was okay. Not only had the cancer been swelling up my tonsil giving me a major speech impediment and slowly closing the top of my throat, it had also caused Bradycardia a few times by messing with my Vagus nerve, but only if I was lying supine. It also brought on random Cluster headaches which I will not talk about now, just Thank God they went away... o...m... G...!

I tolerated the medicine well, but it did knock me out for a few days after, although I could feel the mass shrinking and I had lost those certain side effects that the cancer was causing. My 2nd run of chemo was Sept 4 and I got to carry around a fanny pack at home for 4 days while the chemo was being pumped into me. Same after effects- knocked me out for a bit, but less time than previously.

Then my radiation sessions began Oct 4 after being simulated on the table where they mold a mask of your face with this porous mesh material that stretches over your head face and shoulders. It stretches cos it has been heated so that it will stretch... Then they fan it cool at which time it hardens. It is so you can not move your head at all during the treatment. Then they take xrays and pics of your position on the table in the mask, and the radiation doctor maps out the specific points of where you get zapped the most, the least, and not at all . It is an incredibly and highly technical process, but they have done it countless times (unfortunately) and I am sure he wouldn't tell me he would get rid of my cancer if he couldn't do it. :)

I will find out at the end of February at my first follow up PET Scan that I am free of the cancer. (I'm A Believer that the treatments got rid of it!)

The techs of the Linear Accelerator Machine were all very cool and highly compassionate people who you get to know pretty well even if it is only for 10 mins/day... it is 35 times you see them :) haha. We even exchanged thank you gifts on the last day :) It was all in all, a very touching experience for me and not scary at all thanks to all the incredible people that I met and worked with. I had them laughing and at ease at every step of the way :)

Anyway, after all this time, I still have some fighting left to do. Eating has been the biggest challenge for me during this whole war. Sometimes it has been fine but times like now, it is very difficult to go through the process of eating. My mouth has a weird taste in it all the time, like salt... My saliva production has decreased, and my jaw opening capacity has diminished making it difficult to chew, and a sore throat as well. It is not a pleasurable experience at all to eat. I need to stick to soft foods and protein shakes mainly for now. As with my hair, they tell me it will all come back gradually.... some issues more than others, but I will come back.

Also, fatigue has set in along with the weird pain, so I have been missing a lot of work. But I believe I should be looking after myself and not pushing it too much. During this whole time I have tried my best to keep working, which I was doing directly after my radiation treatments! I felt fine for the 1st few weeks :)

But the end of treatment really caught up with me. Also coupled with the fact that even though my insurance got me through all my treatments and hospitalizations, I was faced with some major related medical expenses that my insurance did not cover which finally depleted me financially (mostly). I had some major plans for next year with the money I had saved and now I am back to square 1...

Although I feel so grateful to be alive and not to have had an aggressive cancer, if you can help me at all in any way, it would be so greatly appreciated! It is really difficult for me to ask, but at this point I just really need to ask.

I *Will be back on the road with the Micky Dolenz show next year :D It should be a great time as there will be a New addition to the band !!! :D

I can't wait !!! Hope to see you out there :D cos, Lookout, Here Comes Tomorrow!!!!

Love to all of you from me and nurse shirley <3 :-D