Jay was diagnosed with aggressive parotid cancer in December 2025 after being investigated for several months. First biopsies were reassuring “not cancer” was said. False sense of security rolled out, then when it came to removal day, surgery was abandoned as it was clear that something had changed. That’s when my world started to drift on its axis.
February 2026, his birth month, was spent mostly in hospital. Removal of the tumour ‘successful’ however the graft on his cheek failed twice, leading to more surgery and and HDU stays. Tracheostomy meant no speech and NG feeding too. He is amazingly strong! Fear of losing him however became very real a kind of internal pain I’ve never experienced before. He’s lost some facial nerve branches so expression and smiling is gone on one side. Interpreting him is difficult and I try not to draw attention.
