Hi, I was diagnosed with cancer in my right tonsil in 2008. The very same day my little sister was diagnosed with cancer. I went to my mom's and she told me about my sister ( how the hell do I tell her about me, took me 2 weeks to build up the courage to tell her plus my neck full dissection kind of gave it away Had 6 weeks of radio therapy and a few sessions of chemo. Very difficult at first. Had peg put in, removed all my teeth. After a 4 months of not eating and basically drugged up to the hilt I stopped taking the meds ( but those lollipops were awesome). I started with to try to eat by putting small pieces of rich tea biscuits on a tea spoon and soaking it with milky tea. I'd lost all my saliva glands so the tea was a lovely thing to have. Anyway, within a month I was eating very well. Within a year I was eating crisps sandwiches KFC, McDonald's you name it i was scoffing it, It's just a case of trying until you've cracked it. I actually put 5 stone on in 12 months. Little tip, ministrone soup and bread and butter. LOTS OF BUTTER.
Anyway 5 years ago I was in A restaurant having Sunday lunch and I started choking and food wouldn't go down. Turns out they had fried the top of my spine when I had radio therapy back in 2008. I had no idea that radio therapy can stay in you for so long. The damage to my spine has given me nerve damage. My eppiglotis has failed due to the nerve damage my tongue is now paralysed, I've lost the ability to speak, nil by mouth and now pump fed. I can't walk more than 10 meters as the nerve damage has affected my balance and my right leg collapse with no warning. No saliva glands and not being able to drink is a flipin nightmare. Wish they would just remove my tongue sometimes. My career went down the hole. My social life went down the hole. Started to learn sign language simply so I can have a conversation instead of writing everything down ( really annoying). I moved house so now looked after by another hospital who are absolutely brilliant. The team come out to me regularly to ensure I'm as good as I can be.Had 3 spells in hospital in last 8 months as I've developed pretty bad IBS. Now taking a lot of meds and laxatives . I used to be 17 stone, I'm 6ft 5, now I'm 8 stone.
Anyway that's me guys. I'm not angry or bitter, just amazed I'm still here. I do miss water though as i used to drink 3 litres a day with not having saliva.
