| Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 10 Member | OP Member Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 10 | My husband had surgery the beginning of September to remove a large tumor from the floor of mouth. The surgery took about 10 hours. They removed the tumor and a small portion of his tongue. Used skin and blood vessels from his arm to reconstruct his mouth and used skin from his leg to graft his arm. I have never been so nervous in my life. Although, the hospital staff was amazing! After surgery, was hard for me to see him so helpless and frail looking. Anyhow, his surgery went well. He was in the hospital for a week. His speech is good, so much better than I had expected and continues to improve as more of the swelling goes down. His arm and leg are healing nicely according to the doctor. The doctors have mentioned him doing radiation as part of a trial study. We are meeting with them in a couple weeks for more details on that. I am concerned about his nutrition. He can only eat pureed foods and drink liquids. He is a stubborn man so it takes convincing to get him to try new things. He drinks boost, carnation and eats pureed soups and ice cream and pudding. The doctor says he isn't too worried about it since his weight has been stable since they took out the feeding tube. He tells me everyday he is greatful I was and am there to take care of him. Not that I would want to be anywhere else.
Wife, he was diagnosed early 8/11, SCC-floor of mouth. Surgery 9/6/11, removal of cancer, part of tongue, salivary gland and lymphnodes, skin and vessels from arm to reconstruct, graft from leg to repair arm. T3N0. Radiation to start 10/11.
| | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Sounds like your husband is able to swallow. That is excellent. In this case, I'd listen to your doctor and not worry about his nutrition. Of course I am biased since I have lived for almost three full years solely on "pureed foods and drink liquids" and I'm pretty healthy. I'd be concerned if he wasn't doing Boost and carnation and soup and just doing worthless nutrition like ice cream and pudding. You have so much to worry about, but this doesn't sound like an issue that you should lose sleep over.
Congratulations on a succesful surgery and a much much better recovery than I had. Trust me, it could have been much worse. Last but not least, every time anyone asks me about getting radiation my response is: I'm not a fan of "just in case" but I make an exception for radiation. The question to ask oneself is what complication of the radiation could be worse than having the cancer come back again. IMO the answer is nothing. Keep the Faith Charm
65 yr Old Frack Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+ 2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG 2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery 25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin Apaghia /G button 2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa 40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 | Congrats everything went well! So glad he is healing your dr. Is right about nutrition, but try to throw some protein powder into his boost - the added prodding will help him heal! Best of luck with things - let us know if he heads into radiation. It's not fun, but it's doable! Take care!
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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