 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Lori:
Im so sorry to hear of your husbands recurrance. On the positive side, you have found OCF. There is a wealth of information and support here.
You mentioned your husband had a peg tube and lost 50 pounds. Thats similar to how I was, Ive lost a total of 65 and kept it off for now anyway. Did his doctor recommend getting the peg tube again? It really is very helpful, imagine if he hadnt had it last time. Its much harder to go thru radiation and chemo than having surgery.
Your signature says its Stage 2, has there been a pet scan done? How much have you found out about how advanced it is? My cancer was also in my cheek both the first time and my recurrance. First round was chemo and radiation. Somehow even after a clear pet scan, I had a recurrance in almost the same spot on my cheek as round 1.
Everybody reacts differently and there are so many different types and places a person can have oral cancer. Have you read "trach trouble" from Karen M? Her husband has gone thru something very simialr to what you are describing. The surgery I had for my recurrance went in thru my mouth and cut out the inside part of my cheek. No trach for me. I think my recurrance was much simpler than what you are describing for your husband. Mine was caught very early and it didnt affect the bone at all. I was told that once the surgeon got in there it could have been necessary to scrape the bone, luckily it wasnt. My surgery was done outpatient, but I probably should have stayed over 1 night. I was back to work the next week, but remember I didnt have everything done that you described your husband may need.
Hopefully your husbands case will be similar to mine. If your husband doesnt need to have the jaw reconstructed then it should be fairly easy to recover from the surgery. Im sure someone who has gone thru that will respond to your questions.
Your husbands positive outlook will be a big asset to helping him get thru this. Ive known many farmers and you are right, they cant sit still. There is always something that needs to be done. Best of luck to you both.
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  | 
