 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Hang in there, Roger!
Its amazing the things we can adjust to isnt it? I greatly admire your upbeat attitude and how easily you are taking this in stride.
Hoping your surgery is a success and you have a speedy and painless recovery. Dont be afraid to be your own advocate and speak up if you need something. Dont be afraid to ask for the pain meds. Having a patient hurt is not helpful to their recovery at all, it makes it much harder to bounce back when you hurt.
Im not sure what your speaking ability will be but if you will have a trach, ask specifically for a possey muir valve trach. The possey muir valve trach allows the patient to talk easily without having to do anything special.
Wishing you all the very best with everything! We are all in your corner cheering you on. Please post when you are able or maybe you could have a relative provide an update for us. We all worry about each other when one of us goes for a major surgery.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
