Dear Friends

Mum is home from the hospital and we are taking one day at a time, which is about all we can do at the moment.

However I have a question for you, which I want to put forward on my mum's behalf. Mum is complaining that her new tongue (pretty much new tongue because only half a centremetre of her own tongue remains at the front), feels fat and raised. When she tries to swallow, the top of her tongue touches the roof of her mouth and prevents soft solids getting down. Everything she has to eat must be completely pureed and then pushed through a sieve. She then has to help it go down with a big glass of water.

It has only been one month since surgery to remove the tumour on her tongue and radical neck dissection to remove lymph nodes. Perhaps it is early days yet?

Mum does worry about it a lot though. Did any of you who had similar surgery experience the feeling of a fat tongue, which got better and more settled with time?

Kathleen.

PS: Will she always have to eat pureed food or later will she be able to progress to something else?

Hello, Kathleen. I am so glad to hear your mum is home. That is a big hurdle crossed. I cannot answer your question but I am very sure that you will get a definitive answer soon. Please let your mum know that we are very happy she is home. I sincerely hope that she is just dealing with some swelling which will diminish with time, and will keep my fingers crossed that this is so.
Joanna

Thanks for your reply Joanna,

We went to see Mum's speech therapist at the hospital today and mentioned the fat tongue and it's problems to her. The speech therapist was very reasuring and told us that it is quite normal. She had a look at Mum's tongue. There are a few stitches, which still haven't disolved but otherwise it appears to be healing well. The speech therapist said that she will work with Mum to help her get used to her new tongue. She said it is normal that Mum's tongue should feel odd at the moment but in time Mum will get used to it and the movement of her tongue won't be as restricted as it is now.

Kathleen

Hi, I did not have a problem with my tongue but i had tissue replaced to the floor of my mouth, I did a post called puffy mouth and I felt like your Mom. I was told by others that things settle down. Well guess what, not a week later and I noticed a big difference and I was able to eat a lot better. Each week it flattens out and feels more like a normal lining for my mouth.If someone had told me before I had Oral Cancer that so much could be replaced and successfully inside the mouth I would not of believed them. For that I give the medical profession a lot of credit. Tell your mom to be patient, it sounds like she is doing great and each week will get better.