hi Ian

will get you there only  45 posts to go !

Thank you for reading blog ,just a few salient points that people may have felt uncomfortable about and didn’t want to ask on a public forum nothing  too scary. But yes agree couldn’t have done this on my own or without the  support of my new found cancer buddies at least that’s a positive thats  come out of this.Plus the strength I’ve got from John 

.Onwards-and upwards Buzz 20 days to blast off !Toy Story 4

H x

Thanks Ian, least you have drinkable tap water pal!

Yeh sorry Graeme,,,we take for granted our fresh water supplies.

on the flip side you have the sun !

Hi Graeme I am like you no way can I drink our tap water it tastes like bleach so like you am buying bottled water. 

Small price  to pay  but annoying 

h x

Hi Hazel and all.

On the subject of water. Even in Scotland the water can be heavily chlorinated at times to the point of unbearable.

We fitted a filter tap. The filter is a bit pricey to renew but well worth it around 48.00 lasts around two years for us. But I do still buy bottled sparkling water.

I havent fitted one myself yet so maybe ask boiler service chap nicely to fit for me as I dont need a flooded kitchen :-)

Hope all are well.xx

Hi all

Hope all doing well no matter where you are on your journeys and all keeping good progress.

To keep up to date and with my blog a little update from my appointment today with dental consultant.

Feel like I've still had an issues with gums on left side etc and was glad to get appoitment with top man in hopsital to assess.

Yet again re iterated by a professional that I'm still early statges as far as they are concerned and as I had teeth extraction as well then zapped with radiotherapy he would expect on average a year or so before gums were back to some kind of settled new normal.
He also did state that for many their mouth/teeth and function will never be the same as it was before.

Had a good look at teeth and gums and was lookiing for bone dry gums but said was some moisture there, not too bad, so not really concerned. Felt a little tightness at left upper gum and said there was like a little ragged piece that was obvious and could just be a slow healing socket but wanted a furthre look and 2nd opnion.
Took some x rays there and then and we looked at them around 10 mins later on his computer. Impressive to get there and then as he then showed me teeth/gums then went over some of the options re planning the way ahead.

So the upshot is that as a brucie bonus I have to go in for root canal treatment on one front tooth, then at same time he is going to anaethatise gum and remove this piece of skin and hopefully that will help. He also wanted to wait another 3 months to put a little more distance on recovery period time. It just shows that anyone worrying about the length of time for recovery in all areas and full functionality as before that it is not a worry for professionals and they will quote all this is perfectly normal. We are all different and can take different recovery periods but at the end of the day I think the point is not to worry over recovery periods nor set exact times and our bodies will find its own timeline and taking into account our own personal circumstances.
Was also told had to use Tepe Interdental brushes to make sure good oral hygene is kept up and all plaque removed during cleaning.( get from ebay or Amazon and different colour depending on teeth. I need 2 different colors to use on different teeth/gums) I am also to get some special toothpaste on repreat prescription that I have to use from now on.. I think i have the name right in Duraphat and i think its about £16 per tube so thank goodness for our NHS. The cost of our treatment and medications throughout this does not bear thinking about and would be interetsting to know what the overall cost in terms of treatment/ NHS time/medication etc all adds up to just for one person. We generally take for granted when we dont need it but are so glad of it when we do.

Also remember the Duraprox toothbrushes themselves from Amazon as they have been a godsend.

Back baby steps at work and finding little tiring but enjoyable but making sure all slowly slowely and I feel a little better that I am constantly re assured that even my recovery period is considrered normal to the NHS professionals.
So dental plan that from start to finish will be approx 6 months as im also getting a crown post and new tooth as well as other treatment, like addional tooth to benefit chewing so at least I am in system and in good hands

Also have a lymph specialist nurse appointment soon to get some neck exercises progressed as I am still showing a ring around my neck area.
Hope doesnt come across as negative at all as to me its all very positive in that I am being well looked after and re assured all ok and normal even though I may be having a different recovery timeline from some.

Last strong message I took away, again, is that some of us will eventually find a new normal and that not everything will fall back into place 100% as it was before treatment and we have to adjust and accept whatever that will be. I also took away a message that we also have a part and responsibility to play in our own recovery and its not just down to professionals/treatment and medication and we ourselves need to adhere to advice given, make sure proper oral hygiene maintained, proper diets etc are followed.

So will leave on a positive note to everyone and will also update my blog with this as like to maintain.

radiotherapythroat.home.blog

Onwards & Upwards

Ian

Hi Graeme

Fingers crossed re scans my friend and all rooting for you. I'm sure all will be fine and another good news story on here.

Onwards & Upwards
Ian

Hi buzz 

brill afvise and updates as usual. Haven’t you been using the interdental brushes and dursphat toothpaste all along ? Sorry I thought I had given u that advise in my blog.sorry if I hadn’t emphasised it. I get mine from dentist she gives me 4 toothpastes st s time   Re the crown etc do u have to pay fir that ? Or is it being done under hospital?

onwards  and upwards my friend 

Hazel xx

Hi Hazel

I didnt really pick up on the Dursphat toothpaste although I seen that yourself and a few others had mentioned previous and had prescribed but no one from my medical support team/GP mentioned and was only today at appointment that he said he was going to prescribe for teeth n gums and ongoing.
I ordered some of these Tepe inderdental brushes Amazon this afternoon.

I use the Cupranox toothbrushes daily as you advised and they have been a godsend and I swear by them. So now I'll get onto these brushes/new toothpaste and probably start usiing Difflam more often again.
By the way, did you notice a difference to normal toothpaste? I know he said it has 3 times more fluroride than normal toothpaste but I looked it up and its £16 a pop!..Expensive stuff but Ive been told to add it to repeat precription each month. It must work at that price tho.
Started me with a prescription of 2 tubes 5000ppm - how long does that last and how many would you get if ordering each month? Sorry lol so many Q's

Re crown/root canal/ gum operation etc, I am getting treatment under the hospital and he said he will put me on the right track then its up to me and my own dentist after that.I'm not sure if there is any financial contribution or cost yet but end day it needs done.

Hope your mouth is still getting a new normal but again I was told some may never have 100% back to what had previous.Are you still feeling your getting a little better.?

Hope you had nice day yesyerday for BBQ and a nice anniversary day.

Onwards & Upwards ( 2 weeks till Toy Story 4 !!)

Ian x