| | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP  Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 | After my mother-in-law's cancer of the tongue and surgery in 2010, no chemo and no radiation. The right side and base of her tongue was removed. The actual "skin" of the tongue was not removed, the cancer was scraped from the inside, meaning her tongue is now hallow.
Another form of oral cancer was diagnosed this August/September: cancer of the right cheek muscles and cancer of the lower mandible jaw. 10/10 she is scheduled for the removal of the cancer on her check muscles and also removal/reconstruction of her lower mandible. The size of the tumor is her jaw bone is 2cm, it can be larger they said. They will implant titanium to replace her jaw bone. There could be a possibility that they will remove part of her underarm skin/flesh to serve as a flap.
A month after her surgery she is scheduled for 33 radiation sessions followed by chemo therapy. Kindly include her in your thoughts and prayers. She is very weak that is why she is going to be confined a day and 1/2 earlier than her surgery.
Last edited by Ina; 10-06-2012 07:23 PM.
Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Best wishes with the big surgery! Try to stay with her while she is in the hospital as her advocate. Anyone undergoing a major surgery like this needs someone to be with them. Make sure the pain meds keep coming as without it she will be in alot of discomfort. As I mentioned on another thread, ask for a possey muir valve trach if she will be getting a trach.
Best wishes for a smooth surgery and a fast recovery!!!
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  | | | | | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 | [quote=ChristineB]Best wishes with the big surgery! Try to stay with her while she is in the hospital as her advocate. Anyone undergoing a major surgery like this needs someone to be with them. Make sure the pain meds keep coming as without it she will be in alot of discomfort. As I mentioned on another thread, ask for a possey muir valve trach if she will be getting a trach.
Best wishes for a smooth surgery and a fast recovery!!! [/quote]
Hello Christine... none of her children will be with her since we are in the USA. Her sister will be her voice. I think it is more frustrating for us since nobody in Manila is asking the right questions. They said she will just be in the hospital for 4 days. That part I don't understand. She is not in a Cancer hospital..I don't think they have that there. How frustrating.
Thanks again...keep you posted.
Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 | SURGERY UPDATE:
I'm at makati med now. It's 530pm, and Tita Josie has been out of the operating room for about 2 and a half hours already. I saw her in the recovery room. She looks ok, and she was already a bit awake about 30 minutes ago though still quite sleepy from the anesthesia. The doctor said the operation went well, and they were able to remove all of it. They've placed a titanium plate at that part of her jaw, and there wasn't any need to get any flesh from any other part of her body for the reconstructive part because they were able to just flip the flesh back up where they did the surgery. Per my mom, the doctor told her there won't really be any obvious signs of the operation except maybe a small dimple at her jaw.
They're moving her to a room at the ICU, but its not because she needs critical care, but to monitor her. The doctor said during the operation there was a time when she had a little trouble breathing so her breathing was assisted for a short while during the surgery. But she's been breathing fine since the operation. She doesnt have a breathing apparatus now or anything like that, she just has the normal monitoring equipment. The doctor said she'll probably be in the ICU for maybe up to 24 hours so they can monitor her there. Possibly shorter though.
Hopefully the post operation recovery will be smooth, but from what I heard the surgery went well today.
Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 |
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Thanks for the update. From your latest news, it sounds like she will be one of the very lucky people who have had a mandibulectomy that have had an easy time of it. To have that type of major surgery and not need a flap or graph makes her recovery so much easier. There wont be any second site or trach to worry about. Hoping she continues to do so well and her recovery is a speedy one. She is doing excellent!!!! Im sure you are very relieved.
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 | | | | | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 |
Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. I will continue to update you as I hear news about Mom. They are keeping her in the ICU until further notice.
Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | Best wishes and hope she recovers well.
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 | UPDATE AS OF LAST NIGHT (SHE IS ON A RESPIRATOR)
"Hi everyone. I spoke with dad a short while ago. He said that Joyce is still in the ICU. He said most of the doctors cleared her to leave the ICU, but doctor who monitors her breathing wants her to stay on the respirator a while longer. Apparently, the tube in her mouth is for the respirator, so I was wrong when I said yesterday she wasn't on the respirator anymore. Very sorry about that. Dad said that the respirator is only in the ICU so that's why she'll have stay there for now, but he said she's ok otherwise." . . . direct quote from family in Manila
Your thoughts and prayers are highly appreciated and I will continue to update you as information is sent to us.
Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 143 | More Updates:
"I just spoke with my dad, and he told me that Tita Josie is still in the ICU room on the ventilator to help her breathe normally. He said she was also given some medicines (though they can't remember exactly what medicines) to stabilize her kidneys. She also received a blood transfusion today because her blood count was low."
I am very worried at this point....
Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
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