The good news is that my husband has made it through radiation, chemo and a left neck dissection. His last radiation treatment was 10/31/03. He is now on the once a month checkup program for the next year. However, in preparation for his treatment he had to have all his teeth pulled (still the single worst event of the whole program). Yesterday he saw the oral surgeon who told him that he could have a full upper plate, but he could never have lower dentures because of a fewer raised areas that would be irritated by the dentures. These irritations would get infected to the point of gangrene and he would loose his jaw. Basically he dismissed Rob as a standard VA cancer patient and did not care to go out of his way to help him enhance his quality of life. We know that new teeth will not be easy, but he wants to eat real food so badly. He has a PEG tube which has enabled him to remain nutrionally sound through his treatment and months since. He eats what he can now as his sense of taste has returned and his swallowing is greatly improved.

We have been discussing the matter of teeth for months and the possibility of paying to have his teeth built here in Bend instead at the VA hospital which is 4 hours away and only has an oral surgeon once a month. Now for sure we will have a second opinion.

Has anyone been told this before? Should we accept the oral surgeon's decision? Rob is not afraid of adjusting to dentures and he definitely wants to look better and eat some regular food.

Please help!

Cindy