"My throat cancer and after care"

I know this is supposed to be about services I received in the past 3 years, but I want to go back 5 years to when my journey with NHS Scotland and my cancer treatment, and after care started.

When I was diagnosed in 2019, my care plan was put into place, by a highly qualified, professional and dedicated group of people, and I could not fault any of the treatment I received. Yes at times it was not nice, but to win a battle you need to be prepared to fight all the way, which I did, but if at anytime my care team noticed a change in my mood, they quickly sat with me and made me strong again. 

These people did not know me from Adam, but their dedication and professionalism shone through every time. 

I won the battle, but one thing that I could not do was eat properly, as I had been fed through a tube into my stomach, so the next group of people I was introduced to were, "speech and language therapist" staff, and over a period of weeks they taught me how to eat, but to be able to eat, I needed to learn how to swallow without choking, again with their care and attention I succeeded and have continued using the the method they taught me.

Now there are times when you get lazy and find other ways to swallow your food, but the lazy way for me has had a knock on effect, I'm struggling again to swallow, so a visit to my G.P. got the ball rolling again to find out why I'm struggling again, so today I was back at the "Swallowing Assessment Clinic" Video fluoroscopy department, and straight away the care and professionalism shone, I know at the end of this treatment/care i will be able to eat and enjoy my food again without choking.

I cannot fault the care I have received, and still receive from all at NHS Scotland.

I also need to say the care I received at St Johns when I had my tonsils removed, they had to be removed before my treatment could start, as did six teeth so dental departments in both Western General and St Johns and Lauriston Buildings where follow up treatment was carried out, was second to none.