Lottie,

Don't look at my sig...I may not be the right person to comfort your fears if you know what I mean. When I went through treatment the back teeth removal was almost automatic. After that the pendulum swung back to no teeth removed and I was evaluated by an oral cancer surgeon that did all the pre-treatment exams for a major cancer center in Dallas. My dentist since 2007 only works with oral cancer survivors. I believe I had the best possible care but my teeth have been crumbling, shipping, cracking, breaking since about year 4. I am a couple weeks from my 10 year anniversary of finishing treatment.

Don't get too far ahead with all this. Enjoy every day and work on immediate issues. As fast as things pop up, they can also just stop. Last year at this time my digestive system quit functioning and I could not swallow water even. I was out under hospice care and was told weekly for months I would die any day. It just didn't feel like it to me so I plugged on. This summer I worked up to biking 2 1/2 hrs 3 times a week, working out in the gym and saw muscles regenerating. I went from barely able to lift 10 lbs to benching 170, 210 leg presses, 90 on pec flies and curling 75. Then in the past 2 weeks things are going the other way again.

The past 8 months have been incredible for me. If I had given up, I would not have made it to Christmas. I was at 115 last September and 160 in September this year. Back down some now but hitting every issue that rears it's ugly head. I resumed teaching ESL classes at our church last week after 3 years off and today I will spend 4 hrs parking cars for the balloon festival.

Never get ahead of the battle. The mind takes us places that may not happen. I know it sounds cliche but every moment worrying will never come back. Never give up!

Ed