 Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 458 | Sandra
Had partial glossectomy last September, doc removed about 1/6th of the left side of my tongue. Tried to do a graft that for some reason didn't take, but actually am doing ok without the graft.
Was able to talk on the phone and be understood the day after the surgery, although I sounded a little like Homer Simpson with a lisp. Pain was pretty much over with about 15 days after the surgery, 3 weeks later eating normally. Only long term affect was that I couldn't touch the right side of my mouth with my tongue, but after the wound healed completely I've done stretching excersizes and now the tongue is pretty much normal in movement and speech.
The partial glossectomy actually sounds worse than it is.
Hope this helps.
Bob
SCC Tongue, stage IV diagnosed Sept, 2002, 1st radical neck dissection left side in Sept, followed by RAD/Chemo. Discovered spread to right side nodes March 2003, second radical neck dissection April, followed by more RAD/Chemo.
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