Hello Everyone,
Its too early for me to say that I am a cancer survivor as I just had two surgeries last year followed by radiation & weekly Chemotherapy (cisplatin). (you are only cancer free after year 5)
It all started in the right upper gums whereby there was a bone loss in-between the teeth. The tooth after the wisdom tooth & the next one to it. This whole drama happened in June 2020. I am in Third world country (Tanzania) whereby advance treatments or proper diagnosis is not available. since the teeth were protruding in the sinus area, I had to undergo a small surgery for "sinus closure" at the same time the dentist took a biopsy of the inflamed gum and a biopsy was done. We only have a government hospital which is equipped with testing such cancers. However the results were given to the dentist after a week, but he did not share this report with me! (can you believe this?) Reason was very clear that he wanted the cancer to spread more and that means more money to him! Suddenly after 2 months, the sinus closure opened (as it was not done properly) I again went to him on 01 August 2020. Only to be told that I have a SCC grade 1. I had no time to argue or point a finger at him but i was already broken completely. I have a son who is 24 & a daughter 19. I immediately rushed to India in those horrible covid times. How i made it to India was miracle since there were only repartition flights. Anyways, I underwent a MRI whereby the doctor saw tumor in the gum and the Oroantral fistula hole. The best option for this was to put a flap from my thigh through neck resection which failed after 10 days due to the small veins. I had to go another operation with a flap from my chest (i think its called PMMC Flap) All went well and my histology reports and it was CONFIRMED that the cancer has reached stage 4 A (PT4a PN3B) and my 2 lymph nodes were infected. Radiation really hit me hard with mouth ulcers and loss of taste. From 95KG to 67KGS. i was 28kg down. Now, I AM 73kgs. as of today, no growth of beard on right side, no saliva, no teeth on right side, dryness of mouth, front of my tongue feels numbish, My right nostril feels dry, tightness in my neck, no sensation on my cheek and part of upper lip, my remaining saliva is still thick-ish after 1 year. I hate food now though i used to love food especially BBQ & dry meals
Does anyone feel like this? I feel i will never be myself again. Okay i am taking Pilocarpine but i don't see much difference. Will i really be able to eat? As now i am losing faith in everything.