I have not had some of the challenges you MIGHT be facing, but I can speak (pun intended) to not being able to speak well. I have about 1/8th of my tongue and my speech is somewhere between that of a hearing impaired person and someone who has had a stroke. In spite of this, I continue to try to speak regularly. I think you will find that there are some who will understand you fairly easily and those who cannot. I very much appreciate the extra efforts others make to understand. You get through. When your doctors are telling you all of the side effects, they are required to tell you about them all, regardless of which will probably apply to you.

Good luck, and hugs

Donna

Hun Do whatever you can to get through this. Do not let people tell you what you can or cannot do, do not let them limit you that way. Take what they say to be the worst possible scenario then move past that to achieve the maximum quality of life you can. Dr.s give you "Scary" (they told my father in law 6 months likely with the peg - after he had his esophagus removed and replaced with his stomach. His surgery was a month yesterday he's taking everything by mouth, only flushing his peg. If he maintains his weight it's coming out next week.) they always give you worst case scenarios do what you can to surpass their expectations - not for them - for you! HUGS.

Dear Zengalib, if your energy level allows it, there is no reason why you should wait to go back to your belling group.. My husband is a potter and he goes and works in his studio (it is really just our garage) everyday unless he has a medical appointment. He told me that it "fed his soul." Maybe belling can do the same for you. You also get to see your friends there.

The only reason I haven't gone back to bell choir is that they are working on music for Easter, and hopefully I will be in the hospital or recovering from surgery by then. I hope to rejoin them in the fall, though. I have been going to my Friday morning coffee group, and my Kiwanis meetings. So, I haven't dropped out of everything.

Hugs again...

That's good. It is important to keep busy and to keep those social contacts up.
Tammy

I am so deeply sorry that you have had to deal with this monster popping up again. Never in my life would I think that I would find so many good, caring friends in the face of adversity and tragedy.

You are brave and I applaud you for keeping up with your social routine as you face your upcoming surgery. I fell apart both times when I was diagnosed and could not function at all. We all have our own way of dealing with things.

I hope that you have a great support system in place. Congratulations on the immanent arrival of your sweet granddaughter. Just think of how it will feel to hold her in your arms for the first time. That warm, tiny bundle of joy; a new life to live. Think of the wonderful smell of her tiny little head; one of the sweetest smells in the world.

Hang on to anything that keeps you going and makes you want to fight for your life. I think it's great that you already have plans to return to your bell choir after you recover some.

It's so incredibly hard, in so many ways. Even though I am a two-time survivor, I feel like I got off lucky compared to many on these forums.

I wish you all the luck one could have in this world as you endure this surgery and recovery. I wish I could say something more profound or comforting. I wish I could wave a magic wand and make everything go away. I wish that for all of us.

xoxo,
Kerri

I am so fortunate that I have such a great support group. Not only my family and friends, but my church family and my community. I was the town librarian until I retired in 2011, and the community rallied around me 5 years ago at my first diagnosis. It was overwhelming. When I retired, there was an open house for me at the library, and even my congresswoman came. I live in a wonderful town with truly amazing people.

Sorry to read that you are having a recurrence.
I have been keeping up to date both here and on FB!
It is great that you do have a wonderful support group around you.
Sending good vibes and positive thoughts as you go through surgery and recovery!
Gabriele

Got a date for surgery. April 9. Not sure if it will be a total or partial laryngectomy or a total or partial glossectomy, but there will be some skin grafting, a feeding tube, and a trach. It will be a long haul, but doable.