Yes Alpaca my mom is very sick .

I'm thinking it may be something to do with her swallowing. She is complaining of swelling in the back of her tongue and throat. When she tries to swallow she kinda throws her head to the side to get it to go down. Maybe its something going on with the pharynx or larynx area. I just don't know. The wound is below her chin. It is not a hole that is open clear through her jaw. My daughter looked with a lite and cannot see through and through. What ever I happening I believe its in the passage that leads to the stomach. Its not all of what she swallows but just a little is coming through the wrong way and landing on the wound dressing. But I can assure you I will have some answers in the morning. What ever is happening it has to be addressed.

Thank you so much for your help
Heidi

When you have the doctor in the room, shuffle towards the door and say you need some questions addressed. There is no excuse in leaving you dangling like that. Can you email the nurse? I used to do that to keep the dialogue going.

It sounds like there is a fissure or some kind of hole from the floor of the mouth surgery. That would explain the drink leaching out. What Alpaca is saying makes a lot of sense.

I am really sorry for what your mother and you have had to endure. It sounds horrific.

It definitely sounds like a fissure. You may not be able to see through the hole but tissue swells and usually this makes it look like there is no hole where there might be a small opening that enlarges at the weight of the liquid or just drips through. I agree with everyone here you need clarification. HBO sounds good and I know you know the risks. Fissures are very hard to heal unfortunately and worse they are open to infection. Hopefully they will get things sorted out for you and you will get answers.

hugs

As far as I understand, HBO is not for patients who currently have cancer. Its to be used for healing. Cancer loves oxygen and HBO would make the cancer grow even more. Its not a good plan at all!!!! BE CAREFUL!!!!


HBO (main OCF pages)

Thank you all for the advise

I was reading about HBO and cancer and its not good. I just don't know what else can be done to heal this wound. Its getting bigger and its very deep. I explained to my mom this morning that its very risky. I'm sure the oncologist will not advise her to do the HBO. I guess the doctors will have a meeting to discuss some kind of a plan.

Thanks
Heidi

I think this is a Fistula, which is just a tract from one site to another .
In your Mums case it goes from somewhere in her neck to the outside skin. But fistulas can be anywhere.
Personally, I would not be doing HBO while she still has active cancer. Do discuss this with her oncologist before embarking on this course of action.
Thinking of you both,
Tammy

I'm sorry for the continued troubles. Besides being ulcerative, a fistula, it sounds like it's possibly from a Fungating wound (cancer). Here is a link which may help with some info, possible treatment.

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/informa...other-side-effects/fungating-wounds.html

From what I know of cancer - there are two kinds.. the kind that thrives in a hypoxic environment (lack of O2) and those that don't. I know HBO has it's risks. Ideally push for a team meeting where everyone including a wound specialist will have their say. Hugs and best of luck

I've seen reports that say HBOT doesn't cause or promote cancer, but it has been suggested previously that it's possible through angiogenesis. Even still, my current doctors waited until I was clear of cancer by scan, after 6 months, to do HBOT treatments. On another note, I also had HBOT several years ago, 3 months after radiation, no scan yet then, and had a recurrence a month later, coincidently or not. There have been other studies with HBOT with chemo, which showed some treatment promise when added, but maybe not so with radiation, so there may be contradictions with this, and others, for this type of treatment, so as suggested, see what the doctors say.

Good luck with everything.

Sweetpe
My husband is on the same track as your mom.
December we were told the cancer is back in the cheek and in the lymph nodes in his chest. they said he is terminal.
They said no more treatment just chemo which is palliative.
My husband did not want any more treatment and since we have 5 year old daughter ... he said he would rather travel and enjoy life.
We went to disney at the end of December and it was awesome.
We got back early january and he started chemo in February.
Carbo?taxel. The first round was difficult and he lost 10lbs.
The second treatment happened a few weeks ago and it was better. We get the results of the scan on Wednesday.

But he has this open wound on his face. It started late january like a pimpel that popped and kept oozing fluid. The hole got bigger and bigger and there is a lot of tunneling.
We kept showing doctors and they said its the cancer ... nothing can be done.
Then about on March 10 the home care nurse came and said its infected and that we had to go to emergency right away.
He is now on IV antibiotics and he is misrable. He is stressed that the wound wont get better and just wants to give up and Die.

its so stressful being a caregiver and seeing your loved one go through so much.
Any advise that you can provide will help because I know we are travelling the same path.
zahra