Hi my name is Ivan Have been looking at this forum over past 14 months. only now getting round to joining. I took facial paralysis mid 2021 which I thought was Bells Palsy. Dr referred me to ENT and after CT & MRI scans and several biopsy diagnosed with tumor in parotid gland. Consultant couldn't operate because of closeness to jaw bone. had 35 sessions of RT from Nov 2021 to Jan 2022 then admitted for NG tube feeding for 4 weeks I have lost 14 Kg weight and had a terrible time during most of 2022 Had to have a colonoscopy mid 2022 (the prep for that was terrible and lost another 8KG over 3 days) I had lost taste,saliva and appetite and no interest in anything for most of the year
There is now light at the end of the tunnel most of the taste has returned (though some things still don't taste good) saliva slowly returning put on the 8Kg lost in mid 2022 but I can.t get the other 14 Kg to go on. Dietitian has me on 2 Fortisip daily but they spoil any appetite. After RT I could see no future but McMillan Nurse and Drs told me things would improve and they did.
I enjoyed a small Christmas Dinner this year ( I had nothing in 2021) and things are slowly improving. Anyone reading this who is going through the mill it will improve although hard to accept at the time.
Sorry about the long rant but I did gain comfort reading the many posts during the last 14 months.
Ivan
Hi Ivan and welcome to the Community
It does sound like you have had rough time of it all. It's good to hear you are improving. Getting better is not a spring but a marathon and sometimes a painfully slow one too. A day at a time is how we get through it.
I'm so pleased Macmillan have been of some help.
You might find this an interesting read
It's an essay on how cancer impacts us by psychologist Peter Harvey
Good luck in your recovery
Best wishes
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
