Hi Tess i know it is difficult not to worry, but rest assured, you are in the best care and the medical experts will do everything they can. Let them be your guide. Find peace in your family and friends and the great in your life, find peace in meditation and mindfulness.  Hope all will be ok for u.  ... View more

Hi Salival i just sent you a message but being new to this site I didn’t check the date of yours and realise it was a while ago and you have come out the other end 👍 I have read what you have been through and your strength and determination is admirable.  I do hope however that I don’t get to go through a lot of what you said, but it is good to get a heads up, and if I have to, I WILL and look at better health 🙏down the track. All the very best health to u. And enjoy every minute with your dear family and friends. ... View more

Thanks Budgie i will have a look at this site too. cheers  Lyndy  ... View more

Hi Salival I think I was meant to read your post today as I sit in the cafe at Austin Hospital having a well deserved coffee.  I have just been to the Olivia Newton John Centre and has what I thought we be a breeze, a face mask made, mouth plaque and ct and mri scan.  I’ll back track - I was diagnosed with TC in February and went into hospital for 10 days having it removed and my lymph nodes as well as a skin graft. I was also diagnosed with 2 melanomas at the same time of diagnoses so I asked if they could do that surgery at the same time which they did. I too noticed a raised bit at the base of my tonque in October last year and it spread quickly that I got it check out then which the local Dr said was probably just a blocked saliva duct and it should just heal on its own. Well of course it didn’t and I saw another Dr in Jan and he quickly sent me to the Austin which diagnosed TC squamous cell T2. They went in just over 5 mm and although I was given the all clear through my body of “cancer clear”.... such a wonderful sound to hear, they said the margin was borderline clear/close, meaning there could be microscopic cancer cells there which doesn’t get picked up in surgery. So radiation was a surety and just a few days ago they suggested a small bout of chemo as well. I have a small group of very supportive friends and two daughters in their twenties that have left home but are my world…as well as my 6 week old grandson whom is my little angel. Anyway, sorry I’ve gone off track. I hear the side effects to R,  which I start on 26 April (later than expected as I had to have a rotten tooth pulled out) is the first two weeks of tiredness, then likely a burning on one side of your neck as the radiation leaves your body (like sunburn but it will peel off), possibly burn sensation in that side of mouth as well. Taste my go but comes back, saliva production is effected too. Anyway, I will see and keep u posted.  I was told that the day after my surgery I would be “unintelligible” but I was pleasantly surprised and my normal voice is back, I just have a bit of a dropped lip.  If you need anymore help or questions please feel free and I’m glad I have found a site specific to Head and Neck Cancer. Hugs 🤗to everyone on here. lyndy 🌸 ... View more

Thanks Aly. I appreciate your reply and I do understand all that in relation to God and do still reach out and believe. There’s a lot of turmoil in this world and he does provide hope. With this all going on, I know the good stuff that has happened I am grateful for. We tend to forget about that it could be so much worse- like this was caught in time, that my grandson born 6 weeks ago came into our lives at the right time, and that I was told my speech would not be good from day one but it’s practically back to normal. So I am grateful that a lot of good too comes from things like this. 🌸🌸 ... View more

Hi Aly Thanks 🙏 for your message , and lovely to hear from you. Unfortunately I have tried to reach out to God with many previous heartbreaks but lost some faith in prayer and lost my way in that.  Others do prayer for me which I am very grateful for. I am just sitting at ONJ now waiting for as mask to be made. I feel like I’m one of the lucky ones. Taking one day at a time  😊  thank you again. ... View more

Catching up with others face to face is a wonderful idea as an extra support group.  ... View more

Thank you Jas. And I pray for u and your mum during this difficult time. 🙏🙏 ... View more

Hi Jett Yes I too find it helps to do mindfulness, breathing, body scans daily.  I hope you will be ok Jett 🙏. I wish you weren’t a basket case every day, as you put it 😞  ... View more