My Sister is going in for her partial glossectomy is 4 days(wow writing that just got me really nervous). I was just wondering as a CG what to expect? You would think a person would wake up in fear at first not being able to talk. Or that they will be heavily sedated for a few days to not injure themselves. Is she going to wake up with all these tubes in her? I'm just trying to mentally prepare for what she will be like after surgery since I have become the strong one of the family. Thanks for any info!!

Susan, I was fully sedated for 2 or 3 days after my partial glossectomy. My mother tells me the night after surgery I looked as though I'd been hit by a bus and she wishes she hadn't gone in to see me. My sister was not as undone by my appearance though. No idea what kind of tubes and such I had, but because of the swelling, I wasn't able to talk for about a week or so.

I'm sure some of the caregivers will be able to give you a little more information. Best wishes for you and for your sister.

- Margaret

Susan

The Hospital wouldn't let my wife into see me the first night after my glossectomy surgery claiming I'd be too sedated to know she was there. I woke up alone in the ICU with tubes coming not only out of every natural orifice I had, but new holes in my throat for the traech tube, 3 drains for the neck dissection, long tube out of my forearm to drain the wrist free flap transplant and a suction tube taped to my mouth with oxygen tubes in my nose alongside a nasal gastric feeding tube.
Don't worry: It sounds and looks a lot worse than it feels
Next morning, I was fine and even able to talk thru the trach.
I was being "very heavily sedated" but an "irresponsible & adventurous youth" has left me an amazing drug tolerance so it was frustrating to just lay there. They kept me in ICU for 3 days then in the hospital another 9 days for a dozen days of captivity. For me, what I wanted from a caregiver do post surgery was to visit daily and also learn from the nurses and hospital what help I would need once I got home.
You sound like a wonderful sister
Charm

Hello Susan.

Just wanted to let you know that my aunt who had a partial glossectomy and neck dissection in March was talking in the recovery room. She was sedated but sitting up the 2nd day and walking the hall the 3rd day. She was weak and sore, slept alot, and felt like she had a golf ball in her mouth but talked with a minimal lisp. She is 67 years old and 105 lbs. Came through the surgery like a champ. Was in the hospital less than a week.

Susan, Thinking about you & your sister today. Hope the surgery goes well. It will no doubt be a blessing when it is over. Let the healing begin! You are in my thoughts & prayers.

Susan,

I know today is the big day for your sister's surgery. I am hoping she was not too scared. Perhaps it's too late to explain my appearance after surgery, but I will tell you anyway. I had a partial glossectomy and only spent one night in the hospital. Like I explained before, I had a bolster on my tongue. A bolster is a combination of gauze and plastic sewn onto my tongue. I could not talk, but could swallow and even ate two popsicles during my stay. I had air tubes in my nose, but nothing else. Of course, everyone's experience is different. I was not very swollen and didn't think my appearance was "scary". I was not in any pain because of all of the medication I was on. My pain level never went higher than a 4 or 5. Like I said, that was my experience and not everyone's is the same. I'm thinking about all of you and hoping you will find relief after the surgery is over! Take care!

Ashley

Susan, just wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you and your sister. Please keep us posted.

I guess I looked like a fish that had been out of the water for a few days, but was never wondered about the fears you mention. My biggest thing was being able to see the people around my bed and and glad to see them. I did wonder if I could atlk and be understood so I tried to talk. It had to sound strange and contain unfamiliar words to the ones near, but I was given paper and pad and wrote what I wanted to say. The next thing was the eating part but I had a line into my neck for the meds and some thin liquid nourishment. I couls actually make the ones there laugh. LOL but declined to share my FOOD.

Hello everyone!! Thanks so much for all the imput and support. Yesterday(surgery day) was a good day knowing that the time has come to get this horrible disease out of her. We were not able to see her because she got out of surgery late in the night but did speak with the dr who Told us she did very good. H also informed us of her being trached and having a decent amount of her tongue taken out along with all her lymph nodes on that side. Today was a very hard day for me but I stayed strong. Seeing my sister panic when she realized she was trached and could not speak was very difficult!!! I stayed strong for her all day though but had to come home with my husband away from everyone and cry it out. Her tongue is sooo swollen today and it was just very scary for me. You wonder if it is going to heal will she be able to speak? I can only imagine what goes through her head. She is also very scared and goes into a panic sometimes when something beeps. Besides the trach and the swelling she does look good. Her face isn't swollen, her hand is moving great where the free flap came from. Her incision is pretty large. From under her chin to her ear and down. We still have to wait for pathology for the full report. The ICU has been great and is allowing my mom to stay all night to keep her calm. When I left she had calmed down alittle bit since she saw that we weren't nervous and were taking care of everything that was bothering her. I just really hope she starts to recover and gets that trach out soon. How long was the swelling you guys had? SomeThings are just hard to see and deal with and you want to go home and cry. I guess it's because she is the older sister and not suppose to be weak. All these thoughts just go through your head. Hope tomorrow is a better day. Again thanks everyone!!!

Hi Susan, So glad the surgery is behind you. Hopefully your sister will recover quickly. Since my aunt did not have a trach, I can't respond to that. But the tongue (with new flap) is still swollen but was shrinking daily until the radiation started. Was your sis warned that they may put the trach in?

It's a helpless feeling being unable to help them. But just being there and encouraging meant so much to my Aunt. If you need to talk let me know and I'll send ya my phone number.

You and sister are in my thoughts and prayers

Dodie

Susan,

So happy the surgery went well! Keep us posted on her condition. Your sister is very lucky to have you:)

Ashley

Hey Penners thanks so much for the support!!! It seems to be very difficult as a caregiver which i am sure you know. The emotion that my sister has been going through I wouldnt wish on my worst enemy!! I guess when you have this surgery you feel disfigured even though no one will be able to eventually tell. She is depressed and now has anxiety.She has been perscibed Meds but it is still tough. Good news is she came home on Wednesday!! She was warned about being trached by the dr if her tongue swelled to much which it did.. That was her worst nightmare but she got through and the trach is now out..I am just trying to be patient and pray that she becomes strong mentally and physically to beat this. You sound like such a wonderful caregiver to your aunt!! She is lucky to have you! Her swelling has gone down a lot but does comeback alittle when she eats certain foods which she was warned about. She still panics though!! I wish she would realize that she only had this surgery 8 days ago and healing takes time... Thanks for the prayers. Your aunt is in ours also..