Hi Everyone,

A month and a half after diagnosis and four opinions, I am entering to a treatment phase. Surgery is planned for early next week. I will keep readers posted after that.

Thanks

Best wishes with everything, Anjur!!! Please give us an update when you are able to.

Sure thing, I will.

Happy Healthy & Successful New Year to all dear readers....Hugs...

Hi Ankur:

Reading your signature, the last phrase about going with the flow, that will serve you wisely all through this ordeal. A dear friend, Bart, here on the forum taught me essentially the same thing early on, even before treatment began for me.

It helped me immensely, as it will help you

Best of luck with your surgery. We will be here waiting for an update. If you need to talk before then, we're here for that too.

Tony

First of all.
Wish you and all readers a Happy, Healthy and Successful Year.

Thank you so much for adding confidence and backing me up on my plans. Really appreciate your motivating approach. I definitely will get back to all readers with update.

Stay warm in this winter....

Good luck with everything!

Ankur, I'll add all my best vibes to everyone else's. You're got the right attitude and I'm sure you'll do well! We're all pulling for you.

Ankur,

Best of luck to you! You will go through this with a breeze! I would definitely suggest them doing a neck dissection since they will be working in that area anyway. I am 8days out of surgery and have been home the last couple of days. I will mention that I haven't had any pain medication in the last three days and really isn't any pain involved. When you come to just focus on relaxing since your tongue will be swollen. The trach and me didn't get along very well, but I won!!! You will have your taste buds so start thinking of things that you like to slurp down for the first few days. I'm not much of a sweet tooth person so I went for the yogurts blended with fresh fruits. Black beans, cilantro,tomotes,lime juice all blended also does the trick. Look for calories though. I weighed myself today and have lost ten pounds! I'll give you my phrase to use..."YOU GOT THIS"!!!

Fish,

Thank a bunch for encouraging response. Now question I have is;
1. How much tongue you had to lose during process (generic answer if not an exact, meaning 1/3, 1/4, 1/2). I believe dictionary meaning of Hemiglossectomy is excision of one side of the tongue.
I read your answer 4-5 times, and here are two question attached to a previous one,
2. Did your doctor offered / suggested reconstruction of removed tongue for better functionality results?
3. If such an option was presented / offered to you, did you opted for the reconstruction?

Reason for this is s, my ENT today explained to me today that he is not sure if large part of tongue needs to be removed (if large Hemiglossectomy required once we start operating). He said, looking at out side vs inside are different scenarios. Tumor may require me to go with larger removal to achieve better clear margin. So he wanted my consent to reconstruct lost part of tongue side by side on a same surgery with help of plastic surgeon. (6 hours total in a surgical room with re construction)

He said believe me, it would be better over not to do so.
My concern is, I don't want artificial implants and create a room/opportunity for future complications by reconstruction (this is my perception). I am OK with lose of part of tongue but with less complications. (Similar to you if you have not done reconstruction).
I saw doctors at CCC in midwest and in east coast. One of the doctor in East coast said, most of ENTs in east coast will offer you the reconstruction (in the first place during the first surgery itself, its a standard practice custom/protocol in east coast) which is unlikely in mid-west and west coast. She was right, none of the two CCC offer / suggested / talked about reconstruction at all in midwest (IL/OH).

In your case, if that was nearly 1/3 loss without reconstruction, and you believe speech and swallow function will be affected by 10-20%, If you accepted this change than I like not to go with the reconstruction. Did I mentioned hidden treasure? You still have your taste buds.

Any suggestions are welcome besides an experience from Fish. I responded to him since closest cast to my upcoming surgery and is most recent case to date I've seen here.

Thanks every one.

FYI,

Doctor decided and confirmed to perform neck dissection at the same time. Also suggested reconstruction at the same time.
First phase of treatment includes;

1. Partial glossectomy
2. Reconstruction
3. Neck dissection

Doctor said, you will not need chemo/rad after that (95% not). (At least what he said and conveniences me.). I wouldn't surprise RO to come up with his set of recommendations after ENT surgery explaining reasons to go for Rads.
Will keep you posted.