The update and keeping us posted. Like you my recovery was a bit difficult and longer than I expected. But my cancer team told me upfront that it is rough treatment and the nurse at the radiation docs told me I might as well figger a year of my life dealing with this and for me, she was right on. It looks by your description of your recovery you are experiencing normal symptoms and temporary leftovers from your treatment and that you are handling it well. Just keep on keeping on and persevere through each day. One day you will wake up and start moving around and say to yourself "Ya know I feel pretty darn good today". I had the lymphedema and got some physical therapy and they gave me some at-home exercises to do and eventually, it will go away as they say the lymph system makes new ways for the system to drain. Here is a good video on Lymphatic drainage massage I had saved and you may pick up a couple of pointers from it as the gal covers it thoroughly  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQdLZ26r-rU

I read you are having some difficulty eating but stick with it and use those swallowing muscles. I assume they gave you swallowing exercises to do if not check with your speech therapist. I was already taking pills for an underactive thyroid and for me it didn't change much but for some folks, their thyroid levels changed a lot and this is something the docs keep a watch on in H&N cancer folks. All in all it sounds like you are doing very well for what you went through. I guess the only thing I may be able to suggest to you is try Xylimelts for your dry mouth at night. They are tablets that help with a dry mouth at night and other times. During the day you can drink to keep your mouth moist but not at night. These lozenges are a great help and have one side that sticks to your tooth or gum and slowly dissolves. Because they adhere to your tooth or gum they are safe to use at night and you won't swallow them and get them caught in your throat. A number of folks use them on here and I remember one fella said he put 2 in at night and was good for the night.  Here is a link to Oracoats website and you can buy them on eBay and many other sites also and if you are lucky you can find them locally at a drug store.  https://www.oracoat.com/

Prayers your way for your scan coming up and we are praying for a clear and clean scan. Like all of us, you are having "Scanxiety" a well-known malady of cancer folks. But be strong and keep busy to think about it less. There was a lady on here that always said when she had a scan coming up that she had scanxiety and was hanging off the ceiling fan concerned about it. Many on here fondly remember Phrannie as a true cancer warrior. Here is a link to a great old post of her with scanxiety and the good wishes she got and it may help you and others to read the support  https://csn.cancer.org/node/265957

OK Rodger hang in there you got this Wishing You The Best-Take Care-God Bless-Russ

Xylamelts at night help a lot.  I only use one, but my dentist has said that my mouth isn't as dry as other H&N cancer survivor patients he has.  I would say try one and see how it works for you.  If it doesn't quite get you through the night, try two.  I find they are also good anytime I am going to be doing an activity for a prolonged amount of time where I can't or don't want to be constantly drinking water or popping Act dry mouth lozenges (which are very good as well).  I find that Biotine oral rinse works well, but only for short stretches (up to one hour), and if I'm not talking... like when I take my daily nap. :-)

I would say 90 days is just the beginning of recovery.  Things will change for the good or the worse as time moves on.  I didn't want to accept the term "new normal" at first, but that certainly is what life is all about now.  However, I try not be preoccupied by the things that have changed, and not for the better.  Instead I concentrate on what I can do that helps me feel better, and subsequently takes my mind off of the things that make me feel crappy.

All the best to you, Roger!

You are in the worst part of the whole deal. Get a cimpression garment for your neck, you'll have a beautiful neck in no time

Thyroid, O how I miss thee! Meds help, just stay on top of getting levels tested

Pain eating, that I know. get the Dr to give you liquid Lydocaine, gargle before meals, like.. right before, it makes eating easier.

Dry mouth, before bed, suck or eat a sour candy, sour patch will do, it makes your mouth water

Initially Xylimelts didn't work for me, but I found as time went on things got better.  I tried every product for drymouth on the market and found none of them miraculous.  Right now closing in on five years post, and every year has seen an improvement on the dry mouth problem.  I also tried the neck rig for lymphedemia, it helped a bit, but simple healing time did more.   If I would suggest anything it's doing neck stretching exercises now!  If you got Rad, you have scar tissue.  Scar tissue does not heal, it only gets older and tighter.  So stretching now is about the only chance you have to change that.  I get spasm periodically, do self-massage, have a massage gizmo, and it always comes back.

One thing I have started doing in the last year, the dry mouth obviously reduces saliva, which leads to dental decay.  For that I was prescribed a special floride toothpaste.  I use that, but I have also been getting a floride treatment when I have a dental exam.  That runs $55 here 'bouts, but usually good for a year.  Yesterday was dental day, and no sign of problems.   Also, don't know if you were told, but one of the better detection methods for H&N tumors is an exam by a dentist.  Mine went thru her own bout with brest cancer, and she is all over the throat exam thing.  So I get basically three post-treatment exams in a year.

This is the padding - https://www.lymphedemaproducts.com/products/jovipak-universal-neck-pad.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw-qeFBhAsEiwA2G7Nl3Q95fmWHCcBC7C56-k4grOpgVicRgBW9eK7LIHn-NSEZKQfn0PjyxoCGxoQAvD_BwE

this is the actual garment https://www.lymphedemaproducts.com/products/jobst-epstein.html

It really worked on me - actually I should be wearing still, but its hard to find when I take it off in the middle of the night, while asleep, and throw it..