Chris,

Thank you for strengthening my hope. I have been meaning to get back on this site for several days to thank you and others who have responded to my posts.

My mother met with her prosthodontist and oncologist last week and both said she was doing very well. My belief that she was steadily improving was confirmed by her doctors, so I am glad for that. In the meantime, I am following my mom's lead. My mom, as you suggested, is moving at her own pace and she knows that I am there for her whenever and whatever she needs.

The obturator has been giving her issues ever since her prosthodontist readjusted it. She had a difficult time getting it back in after he refitted it and there have been a couple of days this past week that she has really struggled to get it in. She has a tremendous gag reflex that kicks in when she tries to put it in. There were a few mornings that she just couldn't get it in and couldn't eat/drink anything as a result. I felt terrible for her. After much encouragement she was able to get it in later in the day.

The past couple of days she has left the obturator in at night for fear that she will be unable to get it back in. I was concerned today when she told me that she hasn't even taken it out to clean it because she is afraid she wont get it back in. She already has had one mouth infection (her docs attributed it to some of the meds she was taking which made her susceptible to infection) and I'm worried that she could be putting herself at risk for another if the obturator and her oral cavity are not properly cleaned. Her next appointment with the prosthodontist is this Friday, so I am hoping matters will improve with her obturator.

I know from reading some posts on this site that other people have had difficulty inserting their obturators after leaving them out overnight or for any length of time -- at least during the early weeks while the oral cavity was still healing. I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on how my mom might get past this gag reflex or if there are any techniques to inserting the obturator?? Her prosthodontist offered her some type of numbing gel or spray for her mouth to decrease sensation and make it easier for her to insert the obturator, but this hasn't seemed to work.

My mom will also be starting radiation soon. She has her first consultation this Monday. She will have radiation to the nasal area and neck. At this point I am speechless, so I will sign off now.