I had a cancer operation on my mouth as soon as I got to hospital they fitted a peg,
I have no tongue as such it is now called a flap.
I have no teeth anymore all ripped out.
I had a tracheotomy.
I had a skin graft of my arm removing a artery and a vein and used to rebuild my mouth.
All my lymph nodes around my neck were removed.
I woke up in head and neck in plaster unable to breath unable to talk, arm in plaster tubes everywhere and then the nightmares started I thought everyone was dead on my ward because they couldn't speak either I was in a zombie world honestly I thought I was then I was in the Somme fitting battles with corpses.
Then I thought a nurse said to me if you don't be silent I will lock you in a cupboard.
They were going to section me.
You cant imagine what I was going through obviously it effects people in a different way but however.
it was a fifteen hour operation and five weeks in hospital, then six weeks of of chemo and radiotherapy.
I wasn't supposed to survive but here I am six years later in pain cant eat anything apart from Fortisips and constantly have a bad stomach but I am alive.
A friend of mine had a lump in his mouth it was nothing to worry about day surgery to remove it and then radiotherapy he died I miss him.
He was the same friend who took me to the hospital for all my tests in the first place I did the same for him miss him.
I was asked to talk to other cancer patients to advise them but because of having no teeth or tongue I bottled out because most people may not understand me but however I taught myself how to speak again in hospital and the speech therapist only sat in with meetings.
I am happy with life I am a survivor.
If you need any advise or a shoulder.
Welcome Craigey. What a terrible ordeal you have been through and still struggle through. Yet here you are offering help. That’s a wonderful thing to do. Thank you so much.
I hope as the months and years tumble along you get an improvement through your pain. A few of us are in touch with a young lady who had her whole tongue removed and has taught herself to speak and eat. So both of you teach others that anything is possible.
Best wishes and take care
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Dogs are trained to pick up lung cancer and diabetes
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
