tigertk62's Journey with Head & Neck/Throat Cancer

After almost two years of "allergy" symptoms and increasing headaches, a trip to the ENT revealed a squamous cell, cancerous tumor that had destroyed my nasal septum.

My incredibly talented ENT surgeon was able to remove the tumor (5.7x1.2x1.7), the cribriform plate and attached dura,(repair the dura),and get clean margins in one procedure! The secondary open crainotomy planned for the following week was no longer necessary, because the ENT was able to do the complete removal and repair by endoscopy.

I will not be able to smell anything, ever :( Taste is limited to sweet, salty, bitter and sour. Luckily, I have a good imagination, and "remember" what lots of things smell and taste like. Still, it is a bit distressing.

No need for crainotomy!

Proton therapy. Much better than "regular" radiation, but was not fun. Completed in March 2011.

mouth sores, blisters and weeping of eyes and residual lymphadema.

clear scans in June! Tear duct seems to be opening up on it's own. "saddling" seems to be stable

PT for facial lymphedema~m uch better