18 month NED

donfoo said:

Always hope

My saliva, smell, taste, recovered 100%, and thyroid still intact after doing the whole routine. Always be thankful, great outcomes shows all things are possible. Often times I attribute dodging major damange to fairly detailed and technical discussions with the RO. I was pretty clear in asking them to be careful around the salivary and thyroid glands. Anyway, you sound good so carry on! 

My RO was very careful to minimize radiation damage, not only with the path of the beam but by lowering the strength as much as possible, where possible.  One salivary gland was right next to or behind my right mandible salivary gland, so that one could not be saved.  But if the other could 3 come back close to normal I would be very happy.  I am not counting on it though.  I'll just deal with it as it is.  My taste is good and I never had a great sense of smell, so I'd say it's normal.

I just had another visit with my ENT and all is good.  This was my 20 month checkup.  They weren't even sure why I was there only 2 months after my last visit, but so be it.  Probably some scheduling mixup.  My next visit will be at the end of May with nurse practitioner(s) only, and that will be my official 2 year mark.  After that I will alternate between ENT and NP visits every 6 months for 2 more years.  After that... ???