On 8/17, I had TORS (Trans Oral Robotic Surgery) at Johns Hopkins to remove MEC at the base of my tongue. It was a lot like the tonsillectomy I had back in June. They found that the remaining tumor was .5cm, though the original size was probably more like 1x1x2, before it was cut from the tonsillectomy (non-oncological procedure).

They put a nasogastric feeding tube in while I was under. For about 24 hours after the surgery, I didn't have anything other than pain killers and the tiniest bit of water via the NG tube. The next morning, they evaluated me, and I was speaking fine, and able to sip water. This was less than 24 hours after the operation. At that point, they removed my NG tube, and what a relief that was! I felt much better without the tube in. Later that same day, they released me with an Rx for oxycodone, clindamycin, and a prednisone pack. Well, when I got home, I found out that the clindamycin was giving me hiccup sessions in excess of 30 minutes. They told me to stop taking the antibiotic, and suggested it would be fine to just not take any.

Unfortunately, by the next day I had come down with acute pneumonia, so I went to Prince William Hospital, which is just down the street from us. I spent 2 nights there getting pumped full of Zosyn and azithromycin to fight the pneumonia. The coughing, vomiting, and nausea were far worse than the pain from the TORS.

By 8/22, I was released from the hospital, and put on augmentin and azithromycin, which ruined my stomach. Then the pain from the TORS operation really started to kick in. The scab started breaking away 7 days post-op, and it was pretty gross. It flipped forward, but stayed partially attached, so it was gagging me. Honestly, I almost went to the ER. Mercifully, it broke off to the point where it was no longer gagging me, but a scab continued to touch my uvula for the next few days. By 11 days post-op, the pain reduced greatly, and I was eating much more normal food.

Oh, the results from the pathology were that the tumor was a .5cm intermediate grade MEC. No partial high grade. No perineural invasion. Clear margins.

On 9/1 I even grilled up a strip steak and enjoyed it! It was a little uncomfortable, but not really painful. I was trying to fatten up a little before my bilateral selective neck dissection on 9/2.

I still have some tingling in my tongue, and my sense of taste is out of whack. Sadly, sweet items only taste sweet for the first bite or two, and then it quickly reduces to near no sweetness Some items I'm able to taste sweetness the entire time. It's quite odd. Hopefully this is just another temporary issue.

I'll discuss my ND in the next reply.