I am a new user. I am the wife of a 30yr survivor of squamous cell Ca of the base of the tongue with cervical node involvement. He is status post R radical neck dissection followed by radiation all done in 1979 when he was 33. He is now almost 63 years old. . He had done well and is still cancer free. He has now been ill with recurrent aspiration pneumonia as a result of dysphagia since Dec 2008. He has had 3 hospitalizations since then and had to have a left lower lobectomy due to pus in his lung. He is no longer able to swallow or expectorate any mucous. He currently is getting gastrostomy feedings,has a tracheostomy for pulomary toileting is Oxygen dependent and is very decondtioned. Prior to December he was active, ,working and eating a regular diet. I am his primary care giver and have left my job as an RN case manager to be home with him. I am very frustrated because prior to the beginning of December he was doing so well. He is being seen by a speech therapist and is doing swallowing exercises. I would like to hear from anyone with a similar experience or from anyone with suggestions on how we can restore his health. I know we should be happy that he had 30 good years and that he is still cancer free but he was in such good health until now. If his ability to swallow was improved I believe he would be able to recover.

Mary U