Tongue Exercises After Surgery for Oral Cancer

Dear Eva, My surgeon removed a chunk of my tongue and lymph nodes in March 2019 for oral cancer. I just finished radiation. My tongue is tight and I cannot eat well.The doctor says it will take 2-4 months after radiation, but I don’t feel any progress. Any advice? Regards, Asmaa Dear Asmaa, Radiation causes your tongue to feel stiff …

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Anxiety During Radiation Therapy to the Head and Neck

Dear Eva, 5 down and 25 to go! I’m having a lot of anticipatory anxiety before the treatment and am fine after it. Some of my appointments are at night because I haven’t gotten into an earlier slot soon enough. Waiting all day gets to me, mainly nauseous. Any tips for me ? I need to calm this stomach of …

Fought For Country: Not For His Own Fight Against Oral Cancer

Dear Eva, My father hasn’t eaten in 5 days and barely drinks water. He continues to refuse a feeding tube even though his weight dropped from 158 to 120. He doesn’t complain but his health is going downhill fast. Radiation for his oropharyngeal cancer ended almost 3 months ago! Our whole family is begging him to save himself. As a …

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No Tongue and Grateful

Good thing she bit her tongue. She was resistant to seeing a doctor, but when it didn’t heal, she went. A squamous cell carcinoma more than 1/2 of her tongue. Were there other symptoms? Did she ever have pain in her tongue? Pain is the most common sign of oral cancer. Despite having most of her tongue reconstructed from her …

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Sticking Out Tongue Straight: An Impossible Feat

I have adopted a sister, a survivor sister Dale Noelle. Tongue cancer became the topic of conversation between my friend Erin’s mother and Dale’s mother over a card game. They agreed Dale and I should meet. For months, our busy schedules didn’t allow us to plan a meeting. But, when I got the message she could attend a lecture I …