Minnie,

I never wore a cast. After hearing your story, I'm doubly glad I didn't. Ouch! I had a dressing that was changed daily, and I used cling wrap to cover my leg when showering. I used a walker so I wouldn't have to put pressure on my donor leg, and sat on a plastic patio chair in the shower. Fortunately, I'd just built an extra large shower a few months before.

Maybe you can ask a wound care specialist whether HBO treatments would help. They help to increase circulation by growing capilaries, and the oxygen doesn't hurt a bit. :-)

I love my new island life, especially the view...

Ken

[img]http://www.sethney.com/bainbridge/25_dapple_ct_view.jpg[/img]

Ahn,

I included a note about my cancer in my signature. I had Stage IV SCCA with a primary tumor in the gums, right mandible. Following surgery that included a radical neck dissection in 12/02, I had 7 weeks of radiation therapy ending 3/03. I guess I had the old-fashioned radiation.

After coming home from surgery, 17 days in the hospital, I drank 5 cans of Nutren 2.0 (500 calories each) per day. In a few weeks, I added high protien and high calorie shakes (ice cream, protien powder, fruit).

Radiation gave me a nasty case of mucositis and My taste buds were shot, so I didn't care much about real food. My primary concern was nutrition, and I think i did OK.

It was six months or so after radiation before I could eat "real food." I started with chunky soups, fruit, oatmeal and the like. I had to get used to chewing without any teeth on the right side.

Now, I eat pretty much everything I want, as long as it isn't spicy. I can't chew a steak, but I can handle oso bucco. I have rediscovered seafood, and I love artisan cheeses.

I hope your husband can be patient during these difficult times. If he hasn't tried Nutren 2.0, he might want to give it a try. I ordered it from my pharmacist. Decent flavour and cheaper by the case than the 200 calorie Ensure they sell off the shelf.

Good luck to you both. Real food is coming. It just might take a little longer than he would like.

Ken

Wow Ken, what a VIEW!!

Field radiation covers a large area, IMRT is directed to a small target area - like a beam. I had extensive lymph spread so had field rad to both sides of neck and throat. All major salivary glands were affected. Maybe you were zapped one sided only, so one side eventually recovered??

Thanks for the info, love from Helen

Helen,

It sounds like I had field radiation, both sides. As of a minute ago, I didn't exactly know where the salivary glands were located, so I Googled and found the following:

[img]http://www.entnet.org/images/salivary2.gif[/img]

Apparently, these are the major ones. The submandibular glands were definately in the field. The sublingual glands were probably in the field. But the partiod glands may not have been completely affected.

I don't know exactly what happened, but the staff at the HBO clinic said some patients could be expected to recover some salivary function, and I appear to be one of them.



Ken

Thankyou Ken

I will ask about it when I see the onc next week.

Love from Helen

I also had field radiation as one lymphnode revealed cancer, but the radiation doc told me that they were able to spare the large salivary gland on my non-cancerous side. I have a good amount of saliva even though it is one sided and thicker then before. It doesn't seem to break down my food like before radiation. I also have issues with chewing as I have no bottom teeth on the left side and am missing my two back teeth on the right side bottom. Implants are STILL in the works, albeit taking much longer then I had anticipated.
Ken, how did you share that picture?
Minnie

Hi Ken,

It has been my experience that over time my taste buds came back completely (saliva not). During the long period of time that I could not eat the spicy and acidic foods, I acquired a real appreciation for the white sauce foods. Now that I can again taste everything as well as before, I actually have a new and much wider range of tastes that I can really enjoy. Takes me longer to order now because more foods taste good to me....

Is that the north end of Vashon Island? with the most beautiful Mt. Rainier in the background. Quite a different view than what you can find in the Southwest........

Peace
Jack
..........
Dx 1/15/97 SCC rt. tonsil met to rt lymph node Stg IV,
Srgry 1/23/97 tonsillectomy & mod radical neck dissection,
Radiation 35 trtmnts both sides

Minnie,

You asked how I shared the picture. The first thing I did was click the link on the left side of the Quick Reply box that says, "UBB Code

Jack,

If you're saying that you can eat spicy foods again, you've made my day! I've been enjoying a whole new range of subtle flavors, but I miss my favorite Mexican, Thai, and Indian dishes.

The photo shows Blake Island in the foreground; I can't see Vashon from here. When I lived in California, I looked out toward Catalina Island. It was pretty, but there's something special about Mt. Rainier.

Ken

Ken,

I just wanted to take a moment to raise my glass to you! I am glad to hear things are going so much better for you. As I look back on the past year and a few months, I realize that most of my memories are the small successess and the masses of incredible people I have met through this journey, most of them right here in my living room.

I also wanted to let you know that although I still struggle with salad dressings, I have been pounding down the Thai stuff, Mexican food, etc., since August (less than one year post op). I had one bad experience when I pickled some Jalapenos this year (for the first time). My son grew one plant it it flourished. I think maybe the massive quantities of rain this past year helped them grow more hair but these are the hottest I have ever eaten in my life. (I used to grow about 6-8 different kinds of peppers each year so I am qualified to assess these, of course! ) Anyway, when I first sampled one to see how good they turned out, I marveled at the incredible taste they had as I rushed to the bathroom to get some Miracle Mouthwash to deaden the pain .

I loved the picture you posted (or linked to, as it were). Welcome to the neighborhood and shall we all take a brief moment to tip our glass in a ceremonial sake toast to LIFE!!

Ed