Dear Friends,
I have started to post this update 3 or 4 times and could not continue....I think I am afraid of reading more bad experiences from others suffering from long-term side effects.

My husband, Bob, underwent debridement of mandible at Mt Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in NYC last week (out-patient, general anesthesia.) 8 Sequestra were removed - not a good sign. Scraping mandible did produce good tissue with decent blood supply - a good sign. Follow-up MD appt is Wed.

I am having a difficult time staying positive. In 2009, 1 yr post chemo/rad, "something" showed up on wisdom tooth dental x-ray. I have know since then that this would probably lead to ORN. Tooth extracted in 2013 after consult with oral surgeon working with oral cancer patients at Dana-Faber Cancer Institute in Boston. She has since left and we changed to Head, Neck and Thyroid Cancer Institute in NYC. At each step of the way MDs and dentists said this or that might not happen. Friends could not understand why I was overreacting. Well, here we are with my fears confirmed.

I don't know if I want someone to say face it - mandible will need to be removed if something else does not kill him first OR if I want to hear that there is still hope. All the other numerous side effects we have adjusted to. This I am afraid will be too hard.

I'm angry that RO, whom we like very much, discharges Bob just when this is going on. He will see Bob and consult if necessary, but somehow I feel that since rad caused most of this problem, RO should suffer more along with us - childish thinking, I know.

HBOT starts today. He had 20 prior/10 post extraction and that obviously did not help.

Lottie

Lottie - This is (another) huge fear for many of us and I am sorry to hear of the outcome of Bob's recent surgery/procedure (though the good tissue and blood supply are, indeed, positive).

Wishing you strength to face one day at a time.

Regards,
Nancy

Surgical follow-up appt was postponed so as not to interrupt HBOT. We will know more next week.
Bob is recovering well. I'm not doing great... constantly thinking, how long until jaw deteriorates further?