Kendall,
When I opened this thread, I saw your name and "cancer" and my heart hit the floor. Had to re-read your post twice to recover.
This is terrible news all the same. I'm sorry. Think about some of the advice above. Homeopathic medicine is worth looking into. And I can see you taking Matt in tow and teaching him the ropes...maybe not. Broken furnace, broken guitar, broken throat. You have really had your share. So sorry.