I’m writing this on behalf of my mum, she had a 7 hour surgery in May to remove cancer in her bottom lip & they removed 29 lymph glands 20 aggressive 9 healthy. Post 4 weeks op they began 33 sessions of head & neck radiotherapy focused on the mouth & both sides of neck although left side was clear but they didn’t want to chance it.
she started on 15th June & finished 29th July, she developed a very bad neck burn which she became hospitalised for a week after finishing & mouth secretions were really bad ( she has a peg)
she is under SLT who are trying to encourage to start eating plan 4 lowest basic puréed foods, this is impossible the secretions are showing no signs of improvement if she try’s to swallow water she chokes or worse coughs until she vomits, she is 75 but before all this she was fit & healthy she is a shadow of her former self (her words) she believes her life is over & she cannot see that she’ll become better with time, she has zero energy sleeps loads & hates that she is confined to her home because she is embarrassed of how she looks from the surgery (her mouth has been shortened & now has a slight droop) she’s not vain but as a woman you can’t hide your face it’s permanently on show. She is hungry & thirsty and sees food on TV & cry’s because she cannot even get water down.
My main reason for the post is will these secretions go away because they are the main reason she can’t take anything orally & there seems no magic drug to calm them, she’s done the mouth wash the sprays etc etc.
I’ve heard a balloon can be passed through to widen the pipe this may be something we should discuss with SLT we have an appointment tomorrow 23rd September
Sarah
