Nothing new

Had checkup on Friday, its now becoming so pointless Drs van Gemert barely remembers me...which is good.

Nothing at all to report, though the clinic has a new oral hygenist so time for more torture...next update in 5 months.....

Nothing to see here

Jan, (thats Dhrs Van Gemert to you) is not worried about the spot, I have  touch of gingivitus and its just a bit irritated...I can't use really strong mouthwashes, they burn like you would not believe, but I'll try a different brand and see if it helps...oh and I have to visit the trainee royal torturer...I mean Dental Hygenist...gahhh

If it gets bigger or hangs around when the gingivitus is under control then I can go back in, but he's not worried and did my normal check up while I was there, so next update might not be till December



hope so!!

oh dear

I've got a lump..

its tiny, and frankly can only feel it with my tongue. but its there...similar kind of "might be a spot", thing that I had when this all started.

Trouble is its not on the site of the orginal, its on the upper gum above the original.

As always with these things it probably is nothing more than a stubborn gum boil refusing to heal, but its about 3 weeks now...since I noticed it.

I've booked an appointment on Friday to get it checked... If it is nasty its going to be quick and easy to get rid of at an early stage..I'm not making the mistake of putting it off like I did before.

Under the circumstances, a little bit of over protective paranoia won't do me any harm.

I'll update as I know more.

Teething problems

There's not been a lot of things to post on here the last few months. But I know a few people are visiting so its only fair I make a effort to say a few things even if they seem very trivial to me they may mean something to others going though the recovery stage of oral cancer and jaw removal. Well...still no sign of a full jaw crackin yawn, I think I'm going to have to just deal with the fact thats not going to ever happpen again. The tendons in my right side were re-attached to my reduced jaw a little lower and therefore just can't stretch that far. When I get close to it, the full cracking point, I end up hurting the tendons resulting in some pain and swelling for a few days. As always I feel a bit like I have cotton wool in my mouth which is a little tender. My neck often feels a bit stiff and tight on the skin level, and I do have permenant sore spots there. I'm starting to talk a bit more like Slystallone too, out of the side of my mouth. Feeling has pretty much returned with a slight numbness on my right lower lip, but no control, the bottom right lip simple does not work so I can do a great "Don't push me " impression with realisitc lip paralysis. Its not a big problem though. I was given a prosthetic replacement for my gum/teeth area, but I didn't find it especially beneficial, it hurts when I chew on it (there's no gum on the bone) and it needs to be cleaned after eating (or removed before you start). So I've not really bothered with it a lot. Today though I decided to put it in for the 1st time in a couple of months and noticed immediatly that one of my top teeth as biting down on it. A sure sign that that took has started to grow down with no opposing tooth to prevent it. This really is the main cause of todays post, its a minor thing but something to be noted.. with no teeth under them the top teeth with slowly move down and eventually drop out...even though I don't chew that side any more I don't really want to lose the teeth so I'm going to make more effort to wear the prosthetic to prevent futher "droppage"

oops forgot

Its good that in time this blog will become redundant, but thats no excuse for not keeping it uptodate when I have check ups...

Thing is there's not much to say..

Last weeks checkup was less than before, just a quick look around the mouth....in fact each checkup becomes less and less which I hope is a good thing. I'm not feelling any significant discomfort more than usual, same old same old.

Nothing to report, next one is in Sept.

Sore throat

I get paranoid when I get a sore throat, its always worse than it should be and it always freaks me out. I've got a mild cold, so of course my glands are swollen and I feel it more than most due to the lack of fatty tissue...but there was a strange sensation yesterday where my throat had some kind of spasm and I felt pain while being unable to swallow for a few but seemingly prolonged seconds.

It passed, but throat is still sore and swallowing a bit strange...will wait and see if it goes when the cold passes...I must avoid getting paranoid when something "might" be wrong...best be sure that something "is" wrong.


stupid cancer induced paranoia!!!!

1 anniversary done, 2nd not so nice, but progress

Not much happening on the doctor front till next appointment in May, but April is a significant month for my cancer diary.

This April 6th was the 2 year anniversary of my diagnosis...what a whirlwind day that was...not one I want to repeat. April 27 coming up is the anniversary of the actual surgery...again what a day. Not sure if I want to have a party or celebrate it in some way...we'll see what mood I am in.

But 2 years on there has been some major developments...I had a Madras curry last night!!!! I did...really!

And it did not have me crying on the floor begging for death. Until quite recently eating anything with chillies was a no-no, which for me as an avid lover of spicey food was almost a fate worse than death.

It wasn't the burn, which is what we all love about chillies, it was pain, sheer screaming I'm on fire, please kill me now, PAIN! Which I assume we can put down to scar tissue in my mouth which has been over sensitive to the burn and not settled down.

But its been getting less and less sensitive, and yesterday for the 1st time in around 2 years, I actually had a proper hot spicy Madras curry, my favourite flavour curry..I was sweating and my mouth was burning of course, as it should, but most important, it wasn't true pain, I moved past the burn to get the chillie high..I managed to eat it all, and loved every spicy mouthful.

I'm alive again ;)

Quarterly checkups

Not been a lot of cancer related stuff to report, which is of course the best thing, in an ideal world I should not have to ever update this blog again, but I do of course still have to do the quarterly checkups..

And thats the subject of todays blog...it was fast, I'll say that, bit of a feel around, check inside, a few questions about health. Done! I again asked about the scar mass in my neck that is still tender and can feel lumpy, but was again told its just due to there being no fat in my neck so all the muscle tissues and scar tissue are more evident.

Also he pointed out that as we approach the 2 year mark, we are moving out of the danger zones, 1st year being most likly to have problems, less in 2nd year and odds improving continually. So that is indeed nice to hear.

Nothing to report then, all clear for another 3 months.
So forgive me reader if I say I hope to not post anything more, other than useful info/tips for another 3 months or so.

Next one is in May. speak then.