Hi, Nicki,

My husband had a low grade infection around 2 screws in the titanium plate that lasted for 2 years. The screws eventually came out on their own. Two weeks after completing rads, he got an infection in his parotid gland that got out of control. His whole face was swollen and unrecognizable. It happened over a few hours! He had surgery, antibiotics and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). The best thing I can tell you is to stay vigilant. If something doesn't look, smell, or feel right, call the doctor. We were in the Head and Neck surgeon's office so many times with infections, loose screws, and fistulas. If you get seen early in the process, the infection is easier to deal with. You don't want to ever ignore an infection as they can are harder to treat when the get out of control.

All my best-
Anita