Vicki, Your an inspiration to anyone of what loving, kindess and being brave and unselfish is

Paul

Thank you Paul, for all of you being so kind and nice is why I can be who I am,,,,One is only as GREAT as the company they keep. Always, Vicki Lynn

Hi Everybody, my name is Carol, I am 47 years old. I was diagnosed with tongue cancer at age 44. Had more than 1/2 of my tongue removed and replaced with forearm flap, also had neck dissection done, two lymph nodes positive for c, 35 radiation treatments. It has been a whirlwind as you all know, but with the help of God and my family, I have survived and for that I am truly grateful! God Bless all of you!

p.s. Vicki Lynn, you are truly awesome, I have read your posts on the OCF Board (I am a member there, too) and now I got to see your picture, you are BEAUTIFUL inside and out!!! God Bless You!

Welcome Carol, Wow we have been thru a lot haven't we...And to try to sum it all up in a short paragraph is hard to do..There is so so so mcuh left out tho. Thank you for your comment, it means a lot..How long ago was your neck dissection?? I am new with this only 6 months. I am finding that my reocvery is taking a very long time,,was wondering about yours..I still have the trache and the feeding tube, this is because of all the complications from the radiation treatments I have had prior to the surgery. I have had my lifetime dose of radiation, cannot have anymore. please sould you give me some information on what your surgery was all about...THank You, Vicki LYnn

Hi Vicki, My neck dissection was done two years ago in May 2002, same time as the tongue surgery and arm flap. I tell you, the scar from that neck dissection bothers me most cuz it is most noticeable in the front of my neck. The scar from around the ear is not too bad but the one in the front is real noticeable, however, scars are a small price to be alive. I got thru the surgery okay but then the radiation kicked my butt, big time as I know you know. WOW, I could not eat or drink anything for what seemed like forever, I never had a peg or feeding tube, my poor husband, God Bless him, did his best to get something into me, liquids at that point in time. It took til almost Thanksgiving for me to be able to eat soft, mashed up food again. But now, I can eat anything I want except real spicy stuff. I too use the biotene products, they are great. I still see my oral surgeon and oncologist every 8 weeks for check ups. Just had some surgery again on 6/11, the trach scar had suddenly appeared infected, so you know what I was thinking, the doc went in and cleaned it all out and biopsied it, it was fine, left over stitches from first surgery causing chronic infection, boy was I thanking Our Lord Above for that news!, please feel free to email me if you want, I got your email off the OCF Board member information, not sure if you got my email I sent you. Take Care of yourself, I LOVE your positive attitude, and you truly are Beautiful!!!! Love, Carol

Thank you Carol for the feedback. I have so many questions I fear to ask them all would run you off..lol..This is just taking so much longer than I thought it would that I an getting somewhat discouraged at this point. And when I ask the doctors they are all saying the same thing, nothing, which is aggrevating to say the least. Of course they don't know, how could they know, they haven't lived this. But I do thank you for reliving that for me long enough to answer my questions, that had to be hard. I know it is for me sometimes...Take care, Vicki Lynn

Vicki Lynn, please, please email me at home whenever you want with as many questions as you have....I am totally available and would love to """chat""" with you. You are such a strong woman, you have given me much inspiration in the words you have written on these boards. Thank You. Love, Carol email layers67@comcast.net

Thank you Carol, I will do that, Vicki Lynn

I had awful problems with Dry Mouth since completing treatment for base of tongue cancer in July 2010. Constant drinking, gels, sprays and synthetic saliva’ 24/7/ became unbearable. I found in the US a Colonel Richard Niemtzow who discovered, developed and still practices his Dry Mouth treatment in Maryland.USA. He also created battlefield acupuncture and is the world renowned authority on these treatments.

I exhausted places in the UK to be treated with his protocol. so visited him July 9th, 2011 and within the first of only two sessions was able to produce saliva again. No more gels, sprays and synthetic saliva since this date and unbroken sleep since.

I was profoundly affected at the results of the treatment so started in the UK The Dry Mouth Foundation. www.drymouthfoundation.org. but you could visit the colonel via his website www.n5ev.com

Let me know how you get on.

Terry Gannon.
Dry Mouth Foundation.