Alright, here's an update. I know, I should really start a new thread...

I had the TORS operation on 8/17 at the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus, and it went well. They took more than they needed to. It was a butterfly shape that he ended up taking from the base of my tongue. It wasn't that deep though, since he didn't have to use clips, only cauterization. In the end, it turns out that only the right side had any sign of cancer. The pathology report showed the remaining tumor to be only .5cm. Clear margins were obtained, and there was no perineural invasion in the resected pieces.

I had the NG tube for less than 24 hours. I was fully talking, and able to sip water, so they took the tube out. Thank goodness, because it was pretty uncomfortable. I left the hospital after just a single night. Unfortunately, I discovered on the way home that the antibiotic they prescribed, clindomycin, gave me 30 minute hiccup sessions. He told me to stop, and didn't have me take any other AB. Well, unfortunately by the 3rd day post-op, I had pneumonia. I checked into Prince William hospital back near our home in Manassas. I had to spend 2 nights there recovering from pneumonia while they IV pumped me full of azithromycin and Zosyn.

They released me and had me on augmentin and azithromycin (gen for Zithromax/Zmax), which ruined my stomach and intestines. I lost 14 lbs in less than 2 weeks. The augmentin and oxycodone really took a toll on me, not to mention around day 7 things got real painful. The scab started to break off, and it basically feels like a tonsillectomy.

To make matters worse, I figured out the oxycodone lengthens my minimal focal distance, which messes with my eyeglass Rx, and ability to see up close without glasses.

Things started to get a lot better a few days ago though. I'm eating solid foods now, and I'm pretty ravenous. I think that's because my sense of taste isn't quite back yet. I get a few bites of near full flavor, and then it's gone. It's like my taste buds get fatigued! I'm not worried though. After the lingual tonsillectomy in June, this happened as well, and I regained full taste.

Never had any problems swallowing (other than the pain). No speech issues. Today, I didn't even take any pain killers. I'm at the point of just taking 500mg of Tylenol as needed.

I'm in for a bilateral ND on friday. Selective on both sides. Same surgeon, but this time, we'll be at the main Hopkins campus.