21/08/2024
We have been invited to share this experience from one of our patients…..
I am one of Jon Wards patients and have been for around 30 years.
Six years ago today I had life saving treatment following Jon picking up on a problem with my tongue. I am eternally grateful to him for this. I have posted the following on my page today. If you wish to share this on your page please feel free. The dentist I refer to in my post is Jon.
Six years ago today I lost one third of my tongue during a 9 hour operation following a shock cancer diagnosis one month earlier. During the operation my tongue was reconstructed using skin, muscle and veins from my right arm (known as radial forearm free flap), 36 lymph nodes removed from my neck to check for signs of cancer spread and I had a tracheostomy. Further to this I had a 4 hour emergency operation 48 hours later, a two week stay in the Hallamshire Hospital (including ICU) and another 4 operations during Covid lockdowns 2020 in order to deal with further problems on my tongue.
🎊🎊SO YES ......I'M CELEBRATING TODAY!🎊🎊
Massive thankyou goes to my dentist who identified the problem....I never knew tongue cancer was a thing! Massive thankyou to my consultant and all the team at the Maxillofacial Dept. Chesterfield and Sheffield Royal Hallamshire. Without all your dedication I most probably wouldn't be here celebrating today. I had to adapt to eating and talking with a reconstructed tongue which brought many challenges! I am left with lymphoedema in my right side neck and cheek, nerve damage in my right arm and lots of scars......which is all manageable.
Today is a very good day and a huge milestone................SIX YEARS CANCER FREE!!!! 🎊🎊🎊
