Hello,
I have been reading your stories here for a week but this is my first post. My husband has just been diagnosed with a recurrence of his SCC. This time the cancer is in his right cheek, and possibly the mandible. We just met last week with the surgeon and today with the plastic surgeon to discuss what may happen in surgery. I know that a number of you have had the Fibular Free Flap done to replace the mandible, and my question is how long was your recovery time? The surgeon told him about 4 weeks but the plastic surgeon said 8-12 weeks. He is a farmer, and if any of you know farmers you know they don't like lazing around the house!
Also, did you have a tracheotomy, and for how long? What was the incision like? They said that his would be from the middle of his bottom lip, through the chin, down the neck and then over to the right. That just sounds so horrible to me!
I am trying my best to be positive and believe that he will again beat this thing. His mood is always positive--I don't know how! His last go-around he lost 50 pounds (that was with a PEG), and powered through his radiation and chemo without taking a break, but there were times when I didn't know if he would make it or not. I'm so scared that a recurrence is a very bad sign, but I don't let anyone know how worried I am.
Here's the kind of guy my husband is: he was explaining to a friend of his that they may have to take bone from his leg to rebuild his jaw. The friend said how awful that sounded. My husband said "Well, then I'll really be able to run off at the mouth!" lol
Thanks for reading this, I really have come to appreciate your wonderful survivor stories and your courageous spirits!
Lori