Im so sorry to hear Clark's surgery didnt go as planned. Poor guy has been thru so much already. I hope the antibitoics help with the infection and that this will heal easily. I know nothing is easy after having rads.

I wish Pete D was here, I think he had been thru fistulas if I remember correctly. I had a tunnel that was about 3" long that refused to close. I ended up going to wound care specialists at the hospital where they worked on it for about 9 months. I had used a wound vacuum for about 2 months without success. It was awful hearing that machine run right next to my ear all day and all night. What finally worked was a picc line with IV antibiotics and HBO. My wound specialists and ENT would use the the medicated sticks to clean up and stimulate the wound(cant remember what they were but I hated them!). It took 8 months of this before the wound finally closed. This was in 2009 after the long hospital stay, it took me a full year to recover from everything.

I sure hope Clark does better than I did. I know he has excellent doctors. Good luck!!!!

Christine
SCC 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 smile