Ask the surgeon if they will be doing frozen sections? This helps to make sure they are only taking out whats necessary and confirming its cancer while doing the surgery. Since its at a CCC, will they be using TORS or DaVinci robotic surgery (ask the doc)? For years Ive heard great things about this but its not available everywhere. Another member recently mentioned they were having that type of surgery. I would also ask the surgeon about how will your husband be able to heal when having surgery when the radiation is still working. I would ask if your husbands diet should include higher amounts of protein to help with healing. Surgery is possible after rads, Ive done several. I didnt bounce back that fast, but Im just a bit slow to recover anyway. Its just me, a little pokey with everything. I would also ask if they planned on doing a fine needle biopsy before the surgery to make sure its cancerous. One thing in your husbands favor is he is being treated at a CCC. Im so glad a CCC is where he was treated!!! CCCs have physicians who are more familiar with complicated cases.

Im sure your husband must be feeling pretty low right now. He is at the absolute worst part of the entire radiation process. Many patients have a difficult time with staying positive. Poor guy, his head must be spinning. I cant imagine how hard this must be for someone just finishing rads when they feel lousy and still have to go thru something else.

Make sure you are fully ready to meet with the surgeon next week. Have all your questions written down, you may want to bring along another person just for an extra set of ears. You can ask if they minded if you would record the meeting. Some doctors are ok with it while others wont let anyone record them. By recording the meeting you can go back and replay it to make sure you completely understand everything the doctor reviewed with you.

Good luck next week and please keep us posted on how the appointment goes.


PS... If you dont already have some cream or ointment to dab onto your husbands raw skin, ask the doc for a prescription for beta val cream. Thats what I was given to use and even with open oozing sores on my neck I didnt end up with any scars. Theres tons of ointments over the counter like Aquaphor or theres also many prescription ones too. When using the ointment pat it on a little dab at a time, do not rub it in let it get absorbed on its own. Apply the ointment 2 or 3 times a day. If he has open or weeping sores, place a square of nonstick gauze on top of the ointment, do not use tape, it will adhere to the ointment and keep the sores from getting worse. Talk to the surgeon about how they plan on going in for the surgery. Never know, they may have some surprising techniques.