OP  "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 701 Likes: 1 | We had a marathon day of appts. on Thursday. The PS says that the two small areas that haven't closed yet actually look good as they aren't leaking anything now. It will take months for this to close up. The one opening is a small hole. We have to keep putting on ointment and a bandaid.
The Oral/Max liked Clark's progress, too, but did say that chewing is still months away. He can eat soft foods but nothing that needs real chewing. They did an xray and we can see the fibular bone sections. Wow--lots of screws!
As for the stabbing pain-- could be from the salivary gland. Since Clark is 2 years post Rad, the salivary gland is just now pumping out a lot of saliva. Rad scarred the gland and the ducts so that saliva is being forced through a smaller and rigid duct into his mouth, and the adjacent muscle spasms. When he sips water or milk (which is cool), the muscle relaxes and the pain goes away.
This might improve with time. It may be that he will have to adapt to it. This morning, Clark tried faking himself out by closing his eyes before he put a bit of food in his mouth. The pain was less. Anyway, for now eating is still not pleasurable. But he may be able to control this in time.
He starts PT on Tuesday for nerve damage in his Rt shoulder. We have been getting out a lot more lately and his energy level is returning slowly. I also notice that his spirits are better, too. I see his laughter returning and that is the best.
Anita
Anita (68)
CG to husband, Clark, 79,
DX SCC 11/07, T4N0Mx, PEG 1/08, RAD, post rad infection 3/08,
HBOT 40 dives, ORN, Surg 11/09 mandibulectomy w/fibular graft.
Plastic Surg 4/10, 12/10, 3/11, 10/11, 4/12, 10/12. All PETS clear,
PEG out 1/11. 6/11 non union jaw fracture
Fractured jaw w/surgery 7/14
Aspiration pneumonia 7/21, 10/22
PEG 7/21
Botox injections
| 
