Have eventually moved from 'Introduce Yourself' after several months. My sister, Lesley, was diagnosed with inoperable throat cancer last March and all that the doctors could offer was 20 days of radiotherapy - then palliative care. She has been in and out of a local hospice over the past few months, mainly when problems arise with her medication.
However, she was taken in ten days ago suffering from a bad infection in the throat/jaw area. The infected area just seemed to erupt and 'wept' uncontrollably (on the outside) for several days. We are now told that she has an actual hole through the cheek which is unlikely to heal itself - we guess as the tumour is continually pushing onwards and outwards. She didn't really manage to eat much before (gets a nightly 'feed' through her PEG) but she does like to drink milk & coffee, and to try to eat soft, mushy food. But everything she drinks now just comes straight out the other side of her cheek. The doctors have told her she cannot eat anything until they have managed to 'plug' the hole - but they seem to be having difficulty in getting something to stick, due to its position (low down on the jaw line). They fitted on some sort of rubbery-looking plaster today, then stuck a large, padded plaster over that, but within an hour or so, the whole lot was soaked - and hanging off. The doctor has gone off to try something else but said he might not be back to see Lesley for several days. She is trying so hard to be brave, but this is just another problem that she doesn't need right now. So, I was just wondering if anyone else had experience of this happening - and if so, how was the problem managed.