| Joined: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 Member | OP Member Joined: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 | I am a 71 year old male who will be taking care of a 70 year old male who is being operated on 9/2/2014. I live in MA and will be going to Santa Monica CA where he lives. I plan to stay out in CA for a week or more after he is out.
I am looking for any advice about what to expect and things to be careful of during his immediate recovery period (~2 weeks) from other care givers who have gone through this.
thanks
CG: Tx: Sept 2 2014 12 hour operation at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. Cancer removal and Plastic surgery to rebuild anterior of tongue, floor of mouth. Dx: 7/14 over 2 cm moderately differentiated SCCa of the floor of mouth, possible lymph node involvement | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,291 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,291 Likes: 1 | Welocme to OCF. sorry about your friend. It appears he is looking at a long major surgery. There are a number of regulars here who I am sure will pop in to offer specifics on this sort of treatment.
I went chemo and radiation path but he may NEED the most help once he is on his own once leaving the hospital. Since you have a pretty short visit, this is when it seems your help may be more valuable to him. Naturally, being around during the hospital stay is comforting but he will receive great care.
Others can give more input specific to oral surgery and the most critical time for some added help and support. Don
Don Male, 57 - Great health except C Dec '12 DX: BOT SCC T2N2bMx, Stage 4a, HPV+, multiple nodes 1 tooth out Jan '13 2nd tooth out Tumor Board -induction TPF (3 cycles), seq CRT 4-6/2013 CRT 70gr 2x35, weekly carbo150 ended 5/29,6/4 All the details, join at http://beatdown.cognacom.com | | | | 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 | John, welcome to OCF! Being a caregiver is a tough job. Your friend will have a major surgery which could take a while to recover from.
After surgery, keep the patient comfortable and as pain free as possible. Many prescription pain meds come in liquid form, which could burn the mouth but is easier to swallow. They may have major issues with eating and drinking. Discuss this in detail with their physician. If they are unable to speak or be understood then they should have someone with them to advocate for them while they are hospitalized. A dry erase board could be a big help.
Ask about physical therapy, speech therapy and how your friend will get their nutrition.
Best wishes to your friend! 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: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 Member | OP Member Joined: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 | hi Don
thanks for the advice about the time he will need me most.
I am just looking at flights and am going to go out toward the end of his hospitalization so I can maximize the time I can spend out there after he gets out of the hospital. I am not retired, but teach, and luckily have a lot of flexibility in my schedule this term. I am trying to arrange things so that I can stay as long as two weeks post release, and it may be possible to stay longer. I am looking around for support groups for oral cancer, and see one at UCLA, which is not far from where he lives.
sounds like a really challenging time for him. I am worried most about his reaction to all this, physiologically. It scares me to see what is in front of him, and I am not the one who has to go through it.
thanks again for the quick reply
John
CG: Tx: Sept 2 2014 12 hour operation at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. Cancer removal and Plastic surgery to rebuild anterior of tongue, floor of mouth. Dx: 7/14 over 2 cm moderately differentiated SCCa of the floor of mouth, possible lymph node involvement | | | | Joined: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 Member | OP Member Joined: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 | hi Christine
thanks so much for your quick response, a dry erase board sounds like a great idea, I am going to go out and find one later on today.
I must say this is a really impressive forum system you have here.
I am a prostate cancer survivor, now 13 years out of a radical, and before and after was on a prostate list serve, which was a great help for me going through that.
But your setup is light years ahead of what they had. Guess 13 years is an eternity in internet time, Things have really evolved in that time in terms of these kinds of forums.
thanks again for the quick response, it helps enormously, both my friend and I
best
John
CG: Tx: Sept 2 2014 12 hour operation at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. Cancer removal and Plastic surgery to rebuild anterior of tongue, floor of mouth. Dx: 7/14 over 2 cm moderately differentiated SCCa of the floor of mouth, possible lymph node involvement | | | | 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 | I'm not going to be much help at this stage since I didn't have to have any surgery but there are plenty here that had similar surgery and I do hope they comment on your planned length of stay because I don't think a week or so will even be close to what he will need.
You are right about this site, it's a Godsend.
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.
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