David Williams, 48, is married to Katy, a district nurse, and they have
a seventeen year old daughter Lizzy. In the winter of 2000 he began to be
worried by soreness on his tongue and a growing white spot. Visits to his
dentist and conversations with Katy raised concerns. His GP was dissmissive.
The New Year saw a return to the dentist, a biopsy and a first appointment with
Leo Cheng for the news that it was oral cancer and to discuss treatment
choices. Both treatment to the tongue either by surgery or radium needles and a
surgical neck resection was required. After family discussions and meetings
with Leo Cheng as the surgeon and the consultant radiologist, it was decided to
have tongue surgery and the neck resection at the same time in the interests of
early treatment. David was operated on by Leo Cheng at the end of January 2001
to remove a small piece of tongue and tens of lymph nodes in the neck.
After about 24 hours in the high dependancy unit and four further days in
hospital under the care of Pam and others, David was back at home under Katy's
watchful eye. In hospital Leo Cheng saw David twice a day to monitor progress
and talk thorough the issues to be faced in the coming weeks. After a further
three weeks David was welcomed back at work half time. Full time work really
started six weeks after surgery.
|
"David Back at Work"
If you have any questions for David you can contact him on 01509 844039.
|
David is a director of a business and a former academic, in both of
these jobs speaking to others is critical. He therefore had real concerns about
talking and telephoning after surgery. Eating was also distressing. Speech
therapy sessions with Lee Starling for tongue and speech exercises were
significant to returning towards normality with both eating and talking.
Reading practice passages from Shakespeare and from technical books to a tape
recorder and listening to the results highlighted areas for improvement. In
March, about 8 weeks from surgery, David gave a public lecture to his old
academic colleagues - poor Lee was subjected to a full practise of this in her
lounge!
Over the months since surgery, the swelling in the neck has disappeared as has
much of the scar. There has been little effect on taste, but after a long day a
dry mouth and "stiff" tongue can be a problem - this is cured by sips of water
and eating. A diabetic fruit gum also helps both without going for the waist
line or teeth.
When David was going through the surgery, family and friends were very
supportive. He comments "As the one that is not well you only see them when
they are putting the best face on things. Over the weeks and months I have come
to realise the stress that these events placed on them, they in turn need their
support. I thank them for theirs."
|
