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| Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Im talking about if he needs HBO (hyperbaric oxygen treatments) that he probably will first need to get tubes put in his ears. Doing HBO can be hard on an oral cancer patient. Think of it like scuba diving. They take you "down" where the pressure is like scuba diving. The pressure can cause problems with a person's eardrums where they could actually burst. I know my ears would hurt like crazy until I got the tubes placed in my ears. I wasnt able to dive many times when my ears wouldnt 'clear'. Like on an airplane your ears 'pop' with the altitude. Im sorry if my explanations are the clearest! To relieve the ear pressure a patient must swallow or open their mouth very wide to get their ears to 'pop'. I would drink sips of water and attempt to stretch my mouth open very wide. Ive done 125 HBO but I probably missed a good 40 dives due to my ears not adjusting to the pressure. The tube surgery is no big deal, its what I meant about being an outpatient procedure.
Osteoradionecrosis is where the bone deteriorates and dies. That can be very very painful. Its what EzJim has gone thru for years. I dont know how he handled the pain! When my teeth were removed, I would have teeny tiny slivers of tooth left that would work its way up thru my gums and boy did that hurt. I would go to my oral surgeon or even my ENT has helped me with that problem. They would just pull it right out and I felt instant relief. If Ron has osteoradionecrosis and needs surgery, that could be a maxilaectomy(sp) (removal of a piece of his upper jawbone). ****NOTE --- I said IF*** I do not know if thats how far his problem has progressed. It could be a relatively easy procedure with no graft necessary and a short hospital stay of a few days. It could be a very involved process with bone from his leg taken to graft to where the diseased bone is being removed. Mandible is the lower jaw bone and maxilla is the upper one.
One thing I am certain of is that HBO will be the easiest thing he has done. Ron should start to feel great after doing a week or 2 of dives. It will allow his body to rest and breathing pure oxygen helps to make you feel refreshed. I would watch the Sopranos or take naps.
I would suggest that you attend his appointments with him and get clarification as to how involved this is going to be. The doc should have some idea of what is necessary after the CT scan. Hope its not anything too involved.
Good luck! ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | |
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