After treatment

Hi Lu. I am 2 years out of treatment and life has returned to nearly as it was before. I will always have a slightly dry mouth and some foods are just not right for me but even this far along there are still improvements. I can cope with that. My energy levels are as they were before. 
Your partner we will be monitored by ENT Maxfac oncology for five years. The first two are fairly closely every two months. 
The cancer does affect travel insurance I’m afraid and it pays to shop around. 
There is a group for insurance chat. Sorry can’t link on my phone. Just do a search. 
So don’t worry. Things get back to good living. 
All the best 

PS and don’t apologise. This is stuff we all want to know. It makes treatment bearable and worthwhile. 

Hi Dani

thank you so much for your response, it was kind of you & very reassuring to hear. 
I will do as you suggest to have a look around for insurance. Appreciate you giving your experience. 

Lu 

Hi, Redrum, Like Beesuit  said things do get back to normal or very near to how it used to be. As for travelling my wife and I went to Florida to see our friends, when I was about 10 months post treatment. Your partner will have to take things easy, and give his body time to heal itself, which it will in time. The travel insurance company I used were a company  called Insurancewith. The person who start the company had, had cancer  themselves, also Boots are quite good. Hope this helps. All the best to you both.

Regards Ray.

Hi

I am not as far along as Dani

I am 5.5 months post treatment. I am pretty much pain free now, and the restrictions on what i can eat are very minor (i can eat sausage, pizzas, bacon and egg etc but i need water with dry meals)

Outdoor life is restricted by covid, but the tiredness and feeling of being ill goes, it has for me, i am looking forward to going to a good pub for a good meal again :)  

As mentioned travel insurance will increase but its manageable.

It does affect the person, i worry about the cancer spreading, but i imagine that will fade too. And i would say you can definitely do the good things in life again.

Trev

Hi Lu

You and your partner will find your new normal when their treatment ends.  Maybe things will be a bit different and you plan and live a bit different.  I have adjusted to my challenges and it is truly amazing how we adapt. Your not being selfish as one person said to me, our partners go through this with us too. Things will work out, it just takes time.

Best wishes

NIcky

Hi Lu 

i f I say I flew to  8 weeks after treatment that may answer your question. Ok I was going to our own apartment wouldn’t  have gone to a hotel or anything.  My oncologist agreed to me going as I was going to familiar things less risk of infection etc. But I regularly  travel fir 8:9 weeks even last year I managed two long trips riding my bike swimming in the sea and sun bath regularly factor 50 on neck area 30 everywhere else. I declare the cancer the insurance I use is staysure they cover my tonsil cancer. Ok at a premium  but it’s not extortionate. Life does go on I walk 6-8 miles now ride upwards of 60 mile I am 64. 
hope this helps Hazel x

Good evening Lu, life after treatment will return back to virtually normal once the radio and chemo has finished it job , you will get a couple of hiccups along the way but it will not stop you with your outdoor life . Even with me after having 3 big operations with radio and chemo after the 1st one, ok i cannot speak or eat normal food and rely on a PEG feeding tube but i can still drink so there is nothing to stop me enjoying life once i adjusted to my new life, Im positive your partner will be firing on all cylinders, i watch football, concerts ,shopping holidays walking my dogs which have been a life saver. You are welcome to read my profile to show most things are possible ,wishing you both all the best during recovery and beyond ,take care.

                                                                                               Chris x 

Hi Lu

You will have a "new normal" - everyone post Covid will be in a "new normal" - what that looks like will depend on many things.  So far I've only been on the surgical pathway and there are some lasting side effects.  All quite liveable with.

What you both end up with really does depend on how you both react.  Small side effects can be made to be major obstacles.  However, it sounds like you are both hankering for a full lifestyle post treatment and I am sure with some small adjustments you will continue to have the lifestyle you both love.

Don't forget that you do not have to wait until the "all clear" post treatment to start enjoying life again!