Here's what might be a typical train of thought for someone surviving cancer. That someone, in this case, is me.

I have been getting sicker and sicker for the past three days. Sore throat, sore ears, and a heavy head made me think at first it was some sort of sinus issue. Add a cough, a rumbling and painful chest, sore gums, chills and sweats, and a fever roaring past 102.8 and the worries start rolling in. I feel like I did twice before, just before I was admitted to the hospital with dipping white blood counts.

The worst of it hit Friday night and since I just couldn't make myself sit in the ER for hours on end, I overstepped my boundaries, tracked down my hospital's on-call oncologist, and listed off my symptoms. Since my treatment for breast cancer concluded one year ago, the doctor wasn't worried. He called it an infection and called me in a prescription. In a few days, when my course of antibiotics run out, I should be fine.

I recently received an e-mail from a friend, about a friend of hers who has just been diagnosed with throat cancer. After a little thought about the content of her message, I sat down and typed a response. I share our back-and-forth communication with you today because it may help you, a friend, a family member, someone. And it may motivate some of you to contribute your own wisdom on the topic. If it does, by all means -- please share by leaving a comment.

Jacki,

Hope all is well with you. Nick and I have a close friend that has recently been diagnosed with cancer. It's in his throat and neck area. He had his tonsils removed and showed they are the source of the cancer but he will still be undergoing chemo and radiation.

The reason I am reaching out to you is because I wondered if you had some good recipes for keeping your energy levels up during chemo and radiation. He said he needs to eat a lot of protein -- I want to make him some things, or buy the right food for him that are high in protein -- what should I be doing? How can I help? His throat is going to be very sore due to the location of the cancer and eating is going to be an issue. What do you suggest?

Nasopharyngeal cancer is most prevalent in South China and kills one in every three victims. The disease is thought to be linked to diets rich in preserved foods, like salted fish.

Scientists will soon test an experimental treatment for nose and throat cancer that will train the patient's own white blood cells to fight the disease. Some classes of T-cells have memory. Once these cells are taken from the patient and are exposed to invaders that they successfully fought off, they should launch the same response when they are re-introduced back into the patients own body.

One of the researchers stated "We expect the T-cells to initiate a very aggressive inflammatory reaction and during the process, not only will the T-cells attack the cancer cells, but other immune cells in the body will be called in to eradicate the cancer cells".

You may not have known it but actor Sean Connery has been fearing cancer for the past two decades.

The Scottish Connery, 76, has been seeing doctors for 20 years so growths in his throat could be monitored. Fearing the worst -- cancer -- Connery wanted to stay on top of things.

Results from a recent medical appointment reveal Connery has been given the all-clear, according to his brother Neil who is also plagued by throat polyps.

Some were concerned about Connery's absence from a New York Tartan Week charity show he was scheduled to host two weeks ago. Apparently, there was nothing to worry about. He was just just getting his check-up, and he later assured fans he is in good health.

"It is something which needs to be followed through," says his brother. "You have to have yearly checks and that is why Sean went to the hospital, just to make sure everything was all right."

Connery's father died of throat cancer at age 69. Connery himself was rushed home from filming in Africa in 1993 due to throat problems. He later received radiotherapy treatment.

All-Star Cincinnati Reds catcher Ed Bailey -- famous in the 1950s -- died of throat cancer on Friday, six months after he was diagnosed with the disease. He was 75.

Bailey, a five-time All-Star, started his baseball career with the Reds in 1953. He went on to hit 28 home runs for the team in 1956 and then went on to play for the Milwaukee Braves, the Chicago Cubs, and the California Angels. He played in his final game in 1966.

Bailey is survived by his wife, Betty, and four sons, Jack, Jeff, Joe, and Jim Bailey of Knoxville.

The U.S. government's Institute of Medicine reported that asbestos, which is accepted as a cause of a number of respiratory ailments including lung cancer, may also be a source for laryngeal cancer. The larynx produces the sound of your voice. Each year in the United States, more than 10,000 people learn they have larynx cancer. Men are four times more likely than women to get cancer of the larynx. Occupational related issues are certainly a factor with mechanics, construction, and other jobs that handle asbestos.

A series of studies have found that certain cancers of the throat and lungs are similar, so the U.S. Senate asked the institute to investigate a potential link between asbestos and other upper-body cancers. Asbestos is also linked to mesothelioma which is a rare cancer that attacks the lining of the chest.

Smokers and smokers that drink alcohol are even more at risk to develop cancer of the larynx. Symptoms of larynx cancer are hoarseness or other voice changes,lump in the neck, a sore throat or feeling that something is stuck in your throat, a cough that does not go away, breathing problems, bad breath, earaches, and weight loss.

There is something to be said for the power of prayer. On the morning the lump in my breast was removed, a friend rallied more than 80 friends from our local MOMS Club to say a prayer for me -- at the exact time I was wheeled into an operating room. I know nothing of the prayer they said for me, but I do know I emerged from surgery with my breast intact and with the knowledge that my cancer had not spread to my lymph nodes.

I don't know for sure what role prayer played in my good fortune -- but I don't discount that it is in some way responsible for the fact that I am alive today.

But there are other obvious factors responsible for my survival -- like chemotherapy, radiation, physical therapy, targeted drug therapy, and counseling. So I don't think prayer alone saved me. I think it took a balance of varied forces to save my life -- a balance one Ohio man was not able to achieve.

The children of Darrell Perry are filing suit against their aunt, Darlene Bishop -- Perry's sister and an evangelical preacher -- who claims both she and Perry were cured of cancer through prayer.

Perry was not cured and died a year and a half ago from throat cancer. And Bishop now reveals she was never diagnosed with breast cancer -- like she claimed at one time -- but was merely worried she may have had the disease. Yet the message in her book Your Life Follows Your Words speaks loud and clear in its message -- that prayer can cure cancer.

Perry's children says their aunt is lying and exploiting their father for her own financial gain. They have filed two suits -- one accusing her of mismanaging and misusing Perry's estate and the other alleging wrongful death for convincing Perry to pray rather than seek medical help.

Mike Evans was the actor who played Lionel on All in the Family and The Jeffersons. He died of throat cancer on December 14Th, he was only 57.

Evans also helped create and write for the sitcom Good Times. It was one of the first TV sitcoms that featured a primarily black cast.

His last role was in 2000 episode of Walker, Texas Ranger, he also played in some TV miniseries such as Rich Man, Poor Man and made appearances on the TV series The Streets of San Francisco.

I didn't know what was coming when I plopped myself down in the waiting room of an Ear, Nose, and Throat clinic yesterday -- which is a good thing. Had I known what doctors would do to me, I may have run the other way. I may have learned to live with the pain I was experiencing each time I swallowed food. But I waited patiently, aware that doctors would "scope" my esophagus, mildly certain the procedure could be uncomfortable, completely unprepared for the full "scope" experience.

I swallowed a pill on Friday night -- not even a whole pill, just a half of one pill -- and it hurt when it went down my throat. I've had the feeling before, a sensation like the pill got stuck, but the discomfort has always gone away within a few hours. This time, it lasted. It hurt to swallow saliva. It hurt to swallow food. It just hurt. So after three days, I took myself to the clinic -- with the subtle worry that cancer was settling in my esophagus.

I know rationally that every ache and pain I experience is not cancer. But I've had cancer. And so I constantly battle a nagging fear lodged deep in my head that reminds me cancer is always a possibility, that cancer is often a shocking outcome of a routine little test for a simple little health concern.

I do not have cancer. I do not have cancer of the throat, voice box, esophagus, or stomach. That's the good news. The scope revealed -- via a tiny camera that traveled through my body -- nothing but healthy tissue. That makes me happy. The test did not make me happy.

I now know the scope is a long, thin tube that enters the body through one nostril. Ouch. It travels into the throat. Ouch. The patient swallows when it reaches the throat to assist in maneuvering it down further. Ouch. The scope then makes its way past the voice box, though the esophagus, and into the stomach. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. The travels are all displayed on a monitor, and I actually got a glimpse of these body parts -- during the split second when I was able to control my gagging, loosen my grip on the arms of the exam chair, and open my clinched eyes. So I saw for myself that everything looks healthy -- just before the tube was pulled right back through all these parts, leaving me with a very sore throat.

Now that I am home and have talked with a few people, I hear that some patients are unconscious for this procedure. They are completely unaware of the horrors of the scope. I got a few sprays to numb my nose and throat and drank a thick cocktail of lidocaine -- but I did not get the luxury of unconsciousness. And in the end that is okay. I got to see what was happening. I got to hear the doctor's revelation that nothing major is wrong. I got to witness the wonder of medical technology. I got to prove to myself that I can handle a little discomfort in exchange for a clean bill of health. And I got to learn that I have a bit of acid reflux. And now I have to squash that nagging fear that reminds me of the literature out there suggesting a link between acid reflux and cancer.

Late last March fans of rock legend and Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler became concerned over speculation that Tyler had been diagnosed with throat cancer. Even though the remaining Rockin' The Joint show dates were cancelled, everyone connected to Tyler assured the public the rumors were false. Steven Tyler did not have cancer. He was suffering from strained vocal cords and needed a rest.

At the time, bassist Tom Hamilton explained the cancelled shows by saying, "You know Steven. Anything worth doing, to him, is worth overdoing," in reference to the fact that the band had been touring more now than it did 10 years ago.

Unfortunately, several months later it was announced that Hamilton had been diagnosed with cancer.

While the rumors had quieted concerning Tyler's health, now and then something new would come to our attention that made us wonder if he was okay. A reader wrote in that he had seen Tyler at the oncology clinic at a hospital he was visiting. We kept that under our hat.

Last night, Tyler appeared on Access Hollywood and for the first time, publicly discussed his health. No, he was not diagnosed with throat cancer -- but he had faced a serious health crisis and decided to speak about it. Tyler said he had been fighting a secret battle with a silent killer -- Hep C. Diagnosed three years ago, he was told by his doctor, Deepak Chopra's brother, that it was time he sought treatment. Tyler agreed to undergo a year of chemotherapy with interferon. He stated it nearly killed him but managed to stay with it and complete treatment. Tyler had Hep C for many years, and was asymptomatic, which is typical.

During the interview, Tyler said, "Hepatitis C is the one that, of all the people in this room, at least three have it and don't know it." He would like to raise awareness about Hep C and mentioned he might appear on Oprah for that purpose. "It's one of those things people don't speak about it, but it is treatable."

Almost 4 million Americans, or 1.8 percent of the U.S. population, have been infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV); it is the most prevalent cause of chronic liver disease in the United States. 80 percent of those with Hep C have no symptoms. Chronic hepatitis C can cause cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

If you missed the television Access Hollywood interview with Steven Tyler, the video segment of the program is available online here.

I was in the emergency room the other night with my three-year-old who was experiencing a mysterious leg pain that resulted from a bad case of strep throat. It wasn't serious enough to warrant swift movement from the waiting room to an actual room and we sat in a holding pattern with a crowd of other patients, some of whom were still waiting after Danny had been treated and released. I was told patients are served in the order in which they arrive but also according to the seriousness of their complaints -- which takes me back to the night I was in the ER with a fever, headache, sore throat, and sore gums. The night I was given a mask and was immediately escorted from the waiting room to a private room where doctors and nurses treated me for neutropenia -- a condition caused by chemotherapy and marked by a drop in neutrophil levels, a condition that puts chemotherapy patients at great risk for infection. This was the second time I went to the hospital for neutropenia. Both times I was admitted and treated for five days.

And so sitting in the ER reminded me about how serious chemotherapy side effects can be. And it makes me want to caution all chemotherapy patients to never dismiss the signs that the body is suffering -- to never tough it out with the hope that a good night's sleep or a few days rest will straighten everything out. Because it may not -- and the end result may be tragic.

All chemotherapy patients should be briefed by their medical teams about when to call for medical assistance. For me, a temperature of 100.4 was the magic call-for-help signal. And twice, I called for help -- once in the middle of the night. But any symptoms , and definitely a combination of symptoms, are cause enough for a simple phone call. So don't delay. Don't excuse warning signs that your body is struggling. Don't second-guess your decision to notify a medical professional about your symptoms. Just call. It could save your life.

Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton announced on Thursday -- via his publicist -- that he will miss the beginning of the band's upcoming tour and will rejoin the band in mid-October once he has fully recovered from radiation treatment for throat cancer.

Hamilton, 55, just completed seven weeks of radiation and plans to rest and heal in the company of family. In his absence, David Hull -- a longtime friend and former member of the Joe Perry Project -- will fill in as bassist. The Aerosmith tour -- Route of All Evil -- will begin on September 5 in Columbus, Ohio.

Just before my chemotherapy for breast cancer started -- when I was fantastically frightened by the toxic drugs that were about to drip into my veins -- I was told by doctors, nurses, survivors, friends that I would be just fine. I was young and strong and tough. I would easily tolerate the beating my body was about to take. This is what I was told and actually came to believe myself. I had no other choice really than to approach chemotherapy with a fighter mentality. And so I did. And I did pretty well for my first three doses of Adriamycin and Cytoxan -- given every two weeks instead of three in a dose-dense fashion -- followed by one injection of Neulasta 24 hours later to maintain normal blood counts. And then something happened. And I did not end up tolerating the chemotherapy my gut told me was a scary endeavor.

Soul Asylum Dave Pirner sat down with Pop Matters Greg M. Schwartz to discuss their new studio album The Silver Lining and the tragic loss of bassist Karl Mueller, who lost his life to throat cancer during the recording process.

After deciding to do a new album and booking the studio, Mueller was diagnosed with throat cancer. Pirner says Mueller kept an optimistic attitude during the recordings. Listeners will be able to hear that in Stand Up and Be Strong. Soul Asylum band members have dedicated the new album to their bandmate Mueller.

Mueller was a Soul Asylum founding member and played in the group for over twenty years, along with singer/guitarists Dan Murphy and Dave Pirner.

In 2004, Mueller was diagnosed with throat cancer. Mueller's cancer went into remission only to return a short time later, and he died at home the following year. He was 42.

Manchester doctors at the Christie Hospital in Didsbury are importing manuka honey from New Zealand to treat mouth and throat cancer patients after surgery in the hope honey can reduce inflammation and prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA. Most people have this common type of bacterium in their nose and on their skin, but if healthy, the bacterium won't cause problems.

For hospitalized patients, there is a risk MRSA will spread through cuts, wounds, surgical incisions or catheters. The main problem with MRSA is that it has become resistant to some, but not all, antibiotics.

For the last several months, Manchester Royal Infirmary doctors have been using special honey-coated dressings to treat wounds. Now -- privately funded by community members and cancer patients themselves -- cancer patients at Christie Hospital in Didsbury will participate in this new study to test the effectiveness of the imported honey in preventing infection.

To read more about manuka honey, the company has a website here. The National Honey Board has published information on the antibacterial properties of honey here. The Sydney University's School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences has published From nature's pantry: The healing properties of honey regarding research done on the antibacterial activity of certain types of honey.