Sug, Ive been following your posts. I admire your bravery and tenacity. Going thru this more than once is horrible, but your saga takes the cake!!! You are very very fortunate that the latest bout has been caught so early!

Ive had the operation you described but it was on a much larger scale, my whole bottom jaw was removed. What you will go thru isnt a walk in the park, it will take you a while to bounce back from this. The part that makes me say you are so lucky is that the doc only has to remove a few teeth and shave some off the jawbone. Its still invasive but not as extreme as the procedure I am used to reading about on here.

Im looking forward to hearing your story of a successful operation! Then no more!!!!! Let the cancer finally be gone forever!!!! You have had more than your share of this awful disease. I wish you all the best!

Hi Sue,
Wishing you all the very best of luck with your surgery on Monday. It sound exactly like the one I had (4 teeth removed for me) and definitely not as extensive as Christine�s.
It is fantastic that you have a great team that you have faith in. I went in to my operation with very little understanding of what was going to happen. Maybe that was not a bad thing either..hard to say now!
My operation was in early September, first social occasion end of October, back at work November all be it reduced hours.
You should be fine for your trip in May so keep thinking of that if you get a little down those first days in hospital.
PM me your number if you want me to call and have a chat over the weekend.
Love
Gabriele

Thanks Christine and Gabe,

I had to meet with the Anaesthetist this morning and he was also quite encouraging and positive about the surgery. I now just want to get it over and put this behind me. I so hope that this will be the last time I have to face such serious surgery and that this damned cancer will cut me a break for a while.

As an aside I was told that I may well temporarily have a NG tube, despite having a PEG already, because they use that to drain out mucous. Not sure how that works but I guess I'll find out. I'll still be having all my feeds through the PEG.

I also get an extra night at home. I now don't have to be at the hospital till 7am Monday. Yey! I'm heading off shortly with two girlfriends for a day and a half of pampering at a Day Spa and resort and will then be spending Sunday with family and friends before the big day. I won't have too much time for stressing thankfully. At the moment I'm content and in a good place.

Thanks to you and everyone else at OCF for your ongoing support. You probably know how much it helps communicating with others who have been where you're going and really understand the frustrations and trials that we face. Sometimes, even when I'm not posting, I find reassurance in reading that others have overcome worse than me and are still living meaningful and fulfilling lives.

With Love and Thanks

Sue G

Sue

Best wishes for a successful surgery on Monday. I hope everything goes well, and recovery is quick.

Take care

Karen

You have been through this too many times. You courage and positive atitude encourages me. Will be praying for you.

Sue, just sending warm wishes your way for your upcoming treatment and recovery.

Sue, I wish you all the luck and success with your surgery on Monday. I did ring you on Saturday but I guess you were off at the spa resort getting pampered!! I pray that you recover and heal quickly...and as Christine said ' no more cancer'!! Take care and I will keep on checking for updates from you. Be strong and keep the faith.

Love, hugs and prayers

Liza xx

Thanks for the good wishes from everyone. Family and friends, along with those here at OCF, have been providing me with great support and encouragement and I'm not going to let this ruin even one minute of my time before surgery. I may have a day or two of feeling a bit sorry for myself when I wake up post surgery, but I'm sure I won't be allowed to laugh anyway! I got your message Liza but I was out with friends so I couldn't return your call. Thanks again everyone.

Sue

I'm back at home after my freeflap surgery. Spent 4 days in ICU, with no trachy, being ventilated via my nose. Didn't enjoy the ventilator or having it removed! But it did the job and no trachy was required. Was moved to the Plastic Surgery ward on Thursday last week and gradually started taking on human form from then on. My flap is healthy and my arm looks grotesque but they say it is healing well. I won't see my thigh until Wednesday.

It is so good to be back at home in my own bed! I hope that this was my last hospital visit for a while. Everytime that I think I have this thing beat some new twist in the tale appears.

Found out that I have an OCF member living literally around the corner (Hi Jenna!) how small a world is this?

Glad you are back home. Pray you have no more problems in 2011 or ever.