Hello.. I am very nervous typing this... I do not talk about my cancer very often. I had a radicial neck dissection for soft tissue cancer of the right side of my neck (fibro sarcoma) when I was about 11 years old. Previous to that I had had 10 other surgeries for the same thing, but the radical neck resulted in the majority of my neck deformity. This is the first time in my life I have talked to anyone who had similar surgery done, I have never even seen someone else after this kind of surgery.

I'm 43 now, married 21 years and have 3 children. I am very grateful for all the good things I have in my life. But the appearance of my neck bothers me a great deal... I am also about 70 pounds overweight. Not sure why I am writing all of this... guess I just need to talk. I think I am having a mid-life crisis or something, but my neck disfigurement is so upsetting to me and then I feel vain or something when it bothers me because I should be happy that I am alive! But it does bother me and I don't know where to turn.

I have consulted several plastic surgeons and they have said the only thing would be some sort of flap to correct the sunken appearance. I also still have my artery on the right side and it sticks out a lot (almost like a huge scar). The flap sounds very frightening and I don't want a big scar on yet another part of my body.

I'm not really looking for any answers, just felt the need to talk. Thanks for listening...

~Susan