An update

Hey folks. Some of you may remember: I had my neck dissection 14 months ago, after a T4 tumor was discovered inside my left tonsil.

After that, 6 weeks of radiation. It all went pretty smoothly, although I had enormous trouble with keeping myself fed, during rads, because my taste buds went berserk.

It's about a year now, since I had radiation therapy and here's the update:

Saliva: Is at about 80 percent of what it used to be. I had one gland removed. The rest seems to work normally, again.

Teeth: Are fine. I doubled and tripled down on tooth care. Brush twice a day, use high fluoride toothpaste twice a week, floss, get professional cleaning at least twice a year.

Taste: Not 100%, I still can't taste certain things, and some things taste somewhat weird, but it's altogether acceptable and liveable. Some things taste normal. Some don't taste as good as they used to, but it's okay.

Health: Is fine.

Beard: Still a hair missing, here and there, but most of it came back.

Lymphedema: Is almost gone.

Mouth opening: Is fine. Still have to train every day.

Energy: I still get tired, sometime. Specially now, during the cold days. Nothing to worry.

In brief: I'm really fine, don't feel that I miss much of how it was before the operation and rads. Of course, it's not as it used to be, but who would expect that? At first sight, nobody would ever guess that I'm a head & neck cancer survivor. Scars on my neck, from lymph removal, have mostly disappeared as well.

I wish you all the best! Mathias