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Joined: Aug 2008
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I am seeking some direction I know nobody is a doctor on this site but with the experience the collective might as well be...I had a bilateral neck disection done...for those of you familiar with my posts....I am not sure if I am just getting feeling back or if there is something wrong...I am leaning towards an infection cause I have had a fever for the past few days little energy and the swelling under my jaw seems quite tight..together with my tongue seems swollen...I seem to have a bit of a cold...I was told it was quite normal to feel like you are being choked with this surgery so I kinda ignored it now that the tighness seems to have increased like I said I don't know if I am just getting feeling back or if the swelling is worse...have no real mirrors and am just going by what I am feeling and touch...my family is not a great help cause they say they can't tell if there is a difference ...I have a bit of phlem and headaches...I see my nurse tomorrow morning...and if the swelling has not decreased or I still feel like I am being choked I am calling the doctor's office who did the surgery...I may have to take a trip to London unless this is normal part of healing...I am such a darn anxious person afraid of throat closing off in my sleep....If I felt my husband would be able to drive tonite we would be on our way..I feel like my skin is stretched to it's limit and even into my chest (just below the surgery)...They have been packing my incision so maybe they will be able to tell..but they say things are healing fine...I don't know why I am writing on here I guess fear and axiousness...like I said don't know if the swelling is moving up my face or if I am just getting feeling back...this is so confusing...I was actually feeling better coping with the pain...I can still move my neck fairly well side to side left and right...am feeling chin...anyway I am not sure so gonna ask nurse in am...thanks I am just having a hard time sleeping and am scared...


Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
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d lady,

Hang in there; morning will come and you can speak with your nurse. I know the dark thoughts come flying at you in the wee hours of the morning. Try, as best you can, to rest; even if you can't sleep. I'll keep you in good thoughts and prayers.

Tim


Tim Stoj
60 yr old. Dx Jun 06 with BOT Stage IV. Neck dissesction on 19 Jun 06. Started Tx on 21 Aug 06/completed 33 IMRTs and 3 CT (2 Cisplat & 1 Carboplat) on 5 Oct 06.
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Thank you for your support I know it is late and not alot I can do...I am going to try to sleep ...and thanks for the kind words...I am just a very anxious person and truly hoping that this is normal..but short of being a doctor or having this surgery done before I rely on my friends and here and my doctors..so thanks for the pep talk...

Dianne



Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
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Dianne, don't you agree that the late hours are the ones that are the scariest? We feel that help is farther away, so we worry more. Relax and concentrate on your breathing. I'll bet that it is just fine, and that air is passing through your nose and throat as always.

You neck is definitely healing, and as it does, the skin is adhering to the tissue beneath it. That skin was lifted during the dissection, and if it didn't stick back down and heal, you would have a huge problem. The issue with this healing is that as it heals, it is also forming scar tissue, and at some point....and you need to ask your surgeon, but do it now....you need to massage your neck to keep the skin from healing down too tightly...to break up some of the scar tissue and keep that skin healed but pliable at the same time.

they almost forgot to tell me to do this massaging, and I would have been left with that feeling of being choked....forever, I guess.

So....relax and breathe.....and go to sleep. You will wake up if there is any problem....and tomorrow, ask about the tightness of the skin and when you should begin to massage it, and ask how to do it. I still massage mine every night when I put on night-time moisturizer...because I remember how it felt to feel like I was being strangled by my own skin!

My dr. told me to be pretty vigorous ..."really get after it." It made me nervous, and now, except for the scar which is more obvious than some I have heard about, and the obvious loss of tissue on that one side, my skin is normal.

This is in the same category of asking when to exercise your jaw....left too long, it will also scar down and will forever be restricted in its opening. I exercise mine several times each day.

You will be fine, and I'm glad you have an appointment tomorrow. TALK and ASK QUESTIONS.

XO

XOX

Last edited by August; 10-19-2008 10:52 PM.

Colleen--T-2N0M0 SCC dx'd 12/28/05...Hemi-maxillectomy, partial palatectomy, neck dissection 1/4/06....clear margins, neg. nodes....no radiation, no chemo....Cancer-free at 4 years!
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Dianne, don't you agree that the late hours are the ones that are the scariest? We feel that help is farther away, so we worry more. Relax and concentrate on your breathing. I'll bet that it is just fine, and that air is passing through your nose and throat as always.

You neck is definitely healing, and as it does, the skin is adhering to the tissue beneath it. That skin was lifted during the dissection, and if it didn't stick back down and heal, you would have a huge problem. The issue with this healing is that as it heals, it is also forming scar tissue, and at some point....and you need to ask your surgeon, but do it now....you need to massage your neck to keep the skin from healing down too tightly...to break up some of the scar tissue and keep that skin healed but pliable at the same time.

they almost forgot to tell me to do this massaging, and I would have been left with that feeling of being choked....forever, I guess.

So....relax and breathe.....and go to sleep. You will wake up if there is any problem....and tomorrow, ask about the tightness of the skin and when you should begin to massage it, and ask how to do it. I still massage mine every night when I put on night-time moisturizer...because I remember how it felt to feel like I was being strangled by my own skin!

My dr. told me to be pretty vigorous ..."really get after it." It made me nervous, and now, except for the scar which is more obvious than some I have heard about, and the obvious loss of tissue on that one side, my skin is normal.

This is in the same category of asking when to exercise your jaw....left too long, it will also scar down and will forever be restricted in its opening. I exercise mine several times each day.

You will be fine, and I'm glad you have an appointment tomorrow. TALK and ASK QUESTIONS.

XO

XOX

Last edited by August; 10-19-2008 10:52 PM.

Colleen--T-2N0M0 SCC dx'd 12/28/05...Hemi-maxillectomy, partial palatectomy, neck dissection 1/4/06....clear margins, neg. nodes....no radiation, no chemo....Cancer-free at 4 years!
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sorry for the double-posting....Somebody is welcome to delete the second one. XO


Colleen--T-2N0M0 SCC dx'd 12/28/05...Hemi-maxillectomy, partial palatectomy, neck dissection 1/4/06....clear margins, neg. nodes....no radiation, no chemo....Cancer-free at 4 years!
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Thank you nobody has mentioned massaging and I think I remember reading it a few times but didn't know what it is all about.. It just feels like my skin is stretched to the max. I have put a call into the nurse practictioner...I don't have an appointment today but I have the house nurse coming in and like I said have called the cancer center and left a message...It did feel better after I got my husband to rub the back of my neck and shoulders...I thought infection cause of the fevers and the colds going around the house. My tongue feels thicker am talking worse I don't know am waiting for nurse to call back
I wouldn't call it an emergency I am still breathing but don't want it to get worse...to see my doctor over an hour and a half away....
Dianne


Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
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Dianne,

I hope your spirits are brighter this morning. Everything seems so "dark" in the dark and silence of the night. Let us know what you find out. (I know you will.) I'll be thinking of you today.

Lani


SCC part glossectomy 3/06, recur 8/06 glossectomy, floor of mouth, part of jaw removed, RT/chemo thru 10/12/06, PET clear 7/08
"A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn"
Passed away 12/14/08
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Well she called back that was quick...She decided to make an appointment for me with the surgeon on wed am at 8:45 I am so grateful although it will mean leaving the house by about 7:00 am...at least an hour and a half to get there...She just wants to make sure all is good but the massaging is helping and stretching...And everyone is right it seems to happen later in the day when everything is closed this started up early in the evening sunday to the point I felt I was choking knowing full well I wasn't ...after I read about the massaging well that helped a bit plus it felt good took pain killers and ativan and went to bed..I am so thankful I got in to see this busy man..and well just hope all is well I am concerned about some things and they will answer I just hope my swollen tongue isn't cancer again so soon and I am still deathly afraid of the radiation treatements although so many before me have been fine

Thanks everyone
Dianne


Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 531
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Wow what amazing advice the massaging was I am getting the back of my neck and shoulders above the surgery and below. Now I just have to get up enough to massage around the incision...and the actual site so working down..from cheeks down to chin from behind the ear down the neck. It is feeling sooo much better...I still have the fevers and the cold but I do not feel like I did Sunday nite. My tongue still feels thicker...I just read about thinning of the free flap I guess I will have to ask my doctor on that one and a few more things...I feel kinda stupid now but will be relieved to know things are well...in my mouth and chin is it coming along ok well I hate to waste professional's time if I am just paranoid but when I called monday there was definate trouble...but massaging seemed to help..but the nurse kinda noticed an off colour in my packing too so...I just want the doctors to take me serious when and if something happens...

Thanks for the advice it helped...


Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
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