Christine, thank you for re-directing the thread. As I am trying to gain weight, I eat whatever I fancy, even chicken fried steaks!
Thank you Anita Frances and Zenda for responding. Although my dental oncologist has been keeping an eye on my mouth and dealing with suspected osteonecrosis for a long time, I still did not expect this cascading series of issues that have ensued since my sequestrectomy in February. Just as I was getting used to the hole in my gum and the HBO treatments,I got hit with the malaise which turned out to be my first bout with aspiration pneumonia, which led to the ear tubes, after I could no longer clear my ears in the chamber. Then came the poor vision and weakened voice, making me deaf, blind and not much of a public speaker. Little by little I am addressing these issues.
I was expecting to be told to get ready for the mandibulectomy, but for now another sequestrectomy is in my near future, although I would not be surprised if the bigger surgery still awaits me in the not too distant future.
I am not complaining. These last 9 years have been great...with all of my 3 kids graduating college and starting careers, my oldest daughter getting married, my return to work, re-marriage, followed by a lot of travel and golf, plenty of good times, and still being here for my 94 year old mother. In fact, I have lived mostly like other folks who did not have stage 4 cancer. But for my ubiquitous water bottle and a little throat clearing when eating, nothing much about me even revealed my condition. Now, as I approach 11 years from diagnosis and treatment, things are changing, and I will deal with it, much as many of you here have dealt with so much more than I have had to endure.
I applaud your courage.