NewYorker,

Just wanted to add a followup to my previous post. When I came through surgery with great results and no obvious indication of any spread beyond the original tumor site, I thought I was home free with no need for radiation. For several days I fought hard against the tumor board that said I should have radiation (although I ultimately went along and had it). I did have many of the side effects that came with it, but one by one they have subsided. My taste buds returned, my salivary function has mostly come back (bit by bit), and with hindsight I have never regretted having radiation at that point. I've tried to be careful about good dental hygiene over the years, and I still have all my original teeth.

In case you didn't catch it from my signature, I went through this over 17 years ago. In the meantime, I've been able to travel all over the world, continue to work, take up hobbies I never thought I'd be able to do, and do lots of volunteer work. I give a lot of credit to some doctors who pushed me to hit this disease as hard as I could as soon as I could.

Cathy