@kathleenmkastrup It is surprising how often doctors overlook cancer while looking elsewhere to cure you with medicines. The fact is most doctors rarely see cancers in patients. I am glad you got this sorted out after being passed around hither and fro, doctor to doctor.
Yale has a good reputation and tries to put the patient first. They might send you somewhere else for follow up treatments, I don’t really know how they handle things in the land of tweed.
Less than 1cm and some lymph involved so I would guess that is a stage two. Don’t quote me as I don’t practice medicine.
You are afraid of what might happen to you. Likely you will be fine after some rather annoying radiation and perhaps Chemo. For me, I came to grips that this might be the end. Of course it wasn’t but that peace has been with me ever since. I have said for years that if I die I will have no regrets. I have lived a good life (actually an amazing life never imagined).
As for you, you are not stage four plus. You don’t have an expiration date stamped “soon”. You just have a battle to face, a battle you didn’t choose but one you must fight nevertheless. You are going to put the brakes on your everyday life until you get this sorted out. You don’t have an option here. You must do this. And hopefully/likely this time next year this will all be pretty much in your past. Courage.