Does anyone else have a rather large bulge
just below the right side of their neck from the chest muscle used for a throat flap. It is a rather large lump from stretching the chest muscle up into my mouth to reconstruct my mouth and throat. The plastic surgeon says it can be trimmed down after about 6 months. He says there is quite a bit of the muscle that was used for the reconstruction. This lump is muscle that is left over from the reconstruction. It is getting a little better every day but I guess it should be measured in weeks not days. Swallowing is quite a bit different and my voice is still funny. How long does it take before the voice becomes clearer?
I will be starting radaition about September 10th
and he plans on using IMRT just on the right side?
This confuses me as I've read how they usually do both sides to increase the chances of getting any stray cancer cells. He plans on giving me 5400 rads or 200 per treatment for 27 days. After everything i've read about radiation this part scares me more than anything. I have put on about
5lbs in the last week. Eating 8 cans of insure mixing carnation instant powder in it and starting to also eat soup and crackers at noon every day. Pudding at night, I hope to put on another 10 lbs. before i start the radiation. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for letting me vent, You have all been very helpful as i progress through this process. Dan


Daniel Bogan DX 7/16/03 Right tonsil,SCC T4NOMO. right side neck disection, IMRT Radiation x 33.

Recurrance in June 05 in right tonsil area. Now receiving palliative chemo (Erbitux) starting 3/9/06

Our good friend and loved member of the forum has passed away RIP Dannyboy 7-16-2006