hi all

well today marks one week since surgery (upper right maxillectomy). i think for the most part i am doing pretty good ... got out of the hospital on tuesday and today i went down to 1 oxycodone every 4 hrs instead of 3 and will take 2 for bedtime dose.... pain is minimal now as long as i am not trying to do a talking marathon....

yesterday i went for first post op checkup - they removed the packing and modified the prosthetic .... was a weird experience but not near as bad as i had imagined... only had one real ouch moment and it was quite bearable. they said everything looks like it is healing well and looks good.

however .....

there is one part really bothering me and i am hoping someone can help me .... in the palate portion of the surgery site the prosthetic is not covering the hole ... it covers part of it but with prosthetic in i see a large hole still and it looks quite mucousy (sorry) and tissue looks sore around the edges.... i had not had the gutts to look in there until today but looked because i was having such a hard time when eating and talking so went to the mirror. (and yes it remained the same after removing it and putting it back in so it was not just out of position)


i thought they cover the surgery site so you can eat??? I have not ate anything more than pudding since surgery and would really like to but i dont want to get food in that hole that doesnt seem like a good thing to do....

tomorrow i am going to have a rest day .... going to take out the prosthetic clean everything up real nicely and then stay in my room and relax and watch tv and stuff .... my daughter is giving me heck cuz i havent rested much since i got home ... i feel bad if i am not up and at em ... but i do agree a day of rest for it would be good - dr suggested this yesterday and when i had it out today it felt sooooo good i thought ok ... tomorrow i declare as mouth rest lol

but i do need to know - is that hole normal or a sign i need a modification?

speech sounds a bit nasally and eating is very tough ... ok impossible ... but i am a pro at squirming that dang pudding around to get it where it needs to be quickly lol and when this is all over i will probably never look at vanilla pudding again LOL

thanks in advance for any input ... i am trying to be a good patient but dont feel i am eating or drinking near enough to keep me going with this going on... and dont want to get run down, i want to heal!

hugs to all - have a great weekend
Rita