Mary,

Welcome to this site -- I'm glad to hear your baby is healthy, and hope you continue to recover as well.

You're likely to get a range of answers to your questions from different people here, because the long-term effects on saliva tend to be influenced by the location and type of radiation and whether you've had any other treatments or medication specifically designed to preserve your salivary glands. If you can tell us a bit more about your treatment, that may help target the responses a bit.

Were you treated at a major cancer center? Did you have IMRT? Are you continuing to have regular followup visits with an oncologist to track your progress?

As to your question about the focus on dying -- I think most people here will tell you it does let up bit by bit after the first year or so. That doesn't mean you stop being vigilant about warning signs, but I'm one of many here who found a lot more to appreciate in life after cancer.

Cathy