Thanks Ed. I didn't consider damage or involvement already being done, and is a possibility, good point. I had radiation 4x, two with IORT during surgery, 5 neck dissections, even a tumor itself, which was at level III at the carotid several times, so it's possible, even just by touching them, from what I understand, to cause symptoms, complications. When I had my radical neck dissection in 2011 the neck muscle, nerve, vein were removed, and cancer was scraped off the carotid artery, and alloderm was placed on it for protection. In a subsequent neck dissection, it had to be peeled off, and with IORT, they manually move, clamp nerve, structures out of the way, and place the radiation applicator directly on the tumor bed.

The hospital called me this morning to schedule a swallow study, so it was good I went to the SPOHNC meeting yesterday.