An Introduction and some questions - 03-02-2015 09:01 PM
Hi, I'm a 37 year old mother of three from Canada and even though I've posted once before I thought I would formally say hi. I have a benign salivary gland tumor that was just recently diagnosed (October). But I have actually had the lump in my upper palate for about 3 years but always assumed it was nothing as there was no pain associated with it. It was through a routine dental visit that it was caught and I was referred to an oral surgeon. I have a lot of questions about the procedure that I'm hoping people can help me with.
Right now I am struggling with the choice of providers. I have the option of getting it removed through a private clinic that my insurance will pay for. This was who I was initially referred to when my dentist spotted the lesion in my mouth. She is a competent oral surgeon but I wanted to get a second prior to having a hole cut in my palate.
I saw an oral pathologist and oral surgeon that works out of a hospital that I ultimately decided I wanted to go with. I wouldn't have to bother with insurance, I was more comfortable with the thought of going under a general in a hospital setting and they were also going to have me fitted for a guard after the surgery. The oral surgeon is also supposed to have great expertise is this type of surgery (his bedside manner however, leaves much to be desired).
Here is the issue, I have a 13 month old child that I have to care for, and getting the surgery requires a lot of planning. My husband will need to take time off work to watch our son for the first 5 or so days and I also need to arrange childcare for the day of the surgery so my husband can drive me and take me home. Apparently the surgeon at the hospital is unable to provide surgery dates ahead of time. The explanation provided is that they are not given operating room priority and just have to take the dates they are given. So for example, they called me today to have the surgery on Friday. Not going to work on such short notice. Right now when I'm going to get it done is all up in the air....I'm not sure what's going to happen.
I have a lot of anxiety about getting it done. I want it OUT. Even though its benign I worry that its a ticking time bomb thats either going to get bigger or turn into cancer (which the oral surgeon said is a possibility even though years and years would have to lapse).
I've been thinking about using the private oral surgeon. My issue though is that no guard would be provided. She said she would provide "dressings" for the wound and that it ultimately would need to granulate on its on. I'm also unsure of her expertise with this specific procedure...as I'm sure your all aware there's a precision to the resection. To much and your looking at more healing and to little there's a possibility of it coming back.
Does the guard aid in healing or protect against infection? Is it really a big deal to have when getting this type of procedure?
Also, does anyone have direct experience and can share what I can expect in terms of how long it will take to heal, pain, eating etc??
Thanks so much if you've gotten this far! I know I've been rambling
Right now I am struggling with the choice of providers. I have the option of getting it removed through a private clinic that my insurance will pay for. This was who I was initially referred to when my dentist spotted the lesion in my mouth. She is a competent oral surgeon but I wanted to get a second prior to having a hole cut in my palate.
I saw an oral pathologist and oral surgeon that works out of a hospital that I ultimately decided I wanted to go with. I wouldn't have to bother with insurance, I was more comfortable with the thought of going under a general in a hospital setting and they were also going to have me fitted for a guard after the surgery. The oral surgeon is also supposed to have great expertise is this type of surgery (his bedside manner however, leaves much to be desired).
Here is the issue, I have a 13 month old child that I have to care for, and getting the surgery requires a lot of planning. My husband will need to take time off work to watch our son for the first 5 or so days and I also need to arrange childcare for the day of the surgery so my husband can drive me and take me home. Apparently the surgeon at the hospital is unable to provide surgery dates ahead of time. The explanation provided is that they are not given operating room priority and just have to take the dates they are given. So for example, they called me today to have the surgery on Friday. Not going to work on such short notice. Right now when I'm going to get it done is all up in the air....I'm not sure what's going to happen.
I have a lot of anxiety about getting it done. I want it OUT. Even though its benign I worry that its a ticking time bomb thats either going to get bigger or turn into cancer (which the oral surgeon said is a possibility even though years and years would have to lapse).
I've been thinking about using the private oral surgeon. My issue though is that no guard would be provided. She said she would provide "dressings" for the wound and that it ultimately would need to granulate on its on. I'm also unsure of her expertise with this specific procedure...as I'm sure your all aware there's a precision to the resection. To much and your looking at more healing and to little there's a possibility of it coming back.
Does the guard aid in healing or protect against infection? Is it really a big deal to have when getting this type of procedure?
Also, does anyone have direct experience and can share what I can expect in terms of how long it will take to heal, pain, eating etc??
Thanks so much if you've gotten this far! I know I've been rambling