Your poor mom! This type of pain is absolutely horrible. Ive been thru it too and unfortunately its completely normal for the type of surgery she went thru. Your mother is probably still pretty swollen from the surgery. This can take months to go away. The swelling could be pressing on a nerve, causing your mother pain.

Make sure your mothers pain is being managed with some type of pain meds that work for her. I used neurontin also known as gabapentin. Its for nerve pain which is what I went thru for months after the surgery. Neurontin is available in liquid form which makes putting it thru a feeding tube very easy. If your mother isnt on this type of pain meds ask her doc about trying it. For the most severe pain, the fentanyl patch is the strongest pain medication available. This could be something she would need for a few weeks or months until the pain subsides. Being in constant pain is the worst! This causes the patient unneeded stress. A pain management doctor could also be another place she could try. Hopefully your mothers pain can be effectively managed very soon so she can focus on her recovery.

Best wishes!


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