1 down 4 to go.

1 year since the op.

It really does seem like a lot longer to me when I think back, but no its a year...I have 4 more to go before I get an all clear and a few minor procedures to fix things ahead of me.

I suppose now's a good time for an update?

Mouth opening has improved considerably, yawning is gettign wider and wider. I still have some swelling under my jaw that is a little tender at times, but overall not bad. A few more months of physio then I think I'll knock that on the head.

Still can't eat hot spicey or strong mint flavours but pretty much anything else is ok.
Right side of my bottom lip is still paralysed though I have feeling, generally though aside from a lop sided crooked smile, occasionally slurred speech and a few random spits on people, its not causing too any issues.
Right edge of my tongue is also a little numb most of the time but its quite usable :D My sense of taste is quite normal.

My beard has not come back following its loss due to the radiation, I think thats probably going to be permenant. :(

Some tightness of the scar from time to time but thats not so bad.

Overall..1 year on, I'm pretty much fully recovered from the surgery and its other effects. Getting on with life and still moving forward.

Roll on the next 4 years.

all good

After my quick check up with Dr van Gemert, it seems my glands are working fine, producing saliva and may just be a bit irritated by oedema or something, nothing to worry about, I need to chew gum and eat more citrus to stimulate the saliva glands a bit more.

Paranoia after all, but well founded, he agreed that if anything changes its best to get checked out before it escalates..

Paranoia is good sometimes

I've noticed something different, not being the hypochondriac type I tend not to get too worried about my body doing odd things or bits falling off or not working, I am getting on a bit after all.

But anything mouth related needs to be checked out ASAP. The last couple of weeks I've been waking up with an incredibly dry mouth, it now seems that I am not producing much saliva on my right side, and also a slightly odd taste is developing there...I also have become more numb at the back of my throat on that side causing me to lose my naturual swallow reflex when mucus drains from my nose into my throat...(technical eh!) This has caused me to have some slight coughing fits that are becomeing more regular.

No idea what this is, but its not right so have made a request for an appointment with Drs van Gemert and will get it checked out.

I'll update after I've spoken to the doctor.

1 year

I missed an anniversary yesterday, surprising considering how there are 2 dates imprinted on my brain. April 6th and April 27th.

April 6 2010 is when I was told I had cancer...it was quite a rollercoaster day, I had already suspected because of the questions the Dentist and Doctor had asked (are you losing weight, feeling ok, tiredness, etc) but to actually hear the doctor say "malignant" it was both a shock and relief. I'd spent a whole weekend stressing about things which accounts for the relief, but the shock was more understandable.

1 year on...I seem to be well, touch wood, still having treatment of various kinds, lots of follow ups of course and soon to have some dental work that I am not going to enjoy and every day the yawn is getting closer and closer.

Yup, cancer sure makes life interesting. I can't believe I actually forgot..I guess thats a good thing.

April 27 2010 is the date of my op...strangely that seems so long ago now, much longer than a year but it does mean I'm 1/5th of the way towards my all clear. Maybe I'll have a small celebration of that anniversary!

April Fool

Well not quite, but todays appointment didn't have a lot of content to it. A Check up and arrangments to have my implant done in May. Otherwise all seems fine. I need to get a slight tickle in my throat checked out if its still there when the time comes to jam lumps of metal in my jaw but other than that, very uneventful.