#23694 07-07-2007 11:11 PM | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 35 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP  Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 35 | Well, tomorrow is finally my day for surgery. I guess I am headed toward it with a mixture of fear and trepidation. I suppose my biggest worry is that they wont get it all or that the pain will be almost too much to bear....but I guess I will find out!!!
I wanted to give my sincere thanks to all on this board for your help and advice and especially to Jerry who I spoke with on the phone and give me some very helpful information.
Take care all and I will somehow let you all know how it went.
Christopher
Dx:06/08/07 SCC left Lateral tongue Stage I/II
Tx: 07/09/07 Partial -10% approx. of tongue taken round 1cm x 3cm No rad/Chemo deemed necessary.....ex smoker
07/17/07 CLEAR MARGINS!!!
05/15/10 Sore has returned and will not leave.back to see ENT 05/17/10
04/07/11 Lump on neck.....ENT on 04/12/11
| | |
#23695 07-07-2007 11:56 PM | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 525 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 525 | Hello Christopher You will be fine. They will keep you well medicated. If it still hurts Let them know and they will up your med dosage. My biggest problem the first two days was Communication! Communication! Communication! I Could Not Talk! Make Sure You Have A Clip Board And 2 Pens. I had trouble the first 2 days, and then all was fine. MY CLIP BOARD WAS MY VOICE....IT'S A MUST HAVE! Write on one page a few things so you can just point and not have to write. Example: Need Pain Meds, Need Urinal, Want to sit in chair, etc. Good Luck, Petey 
DX 3-21-07 L tongue,SCC Stage IV (T3N2MO) TX Slash/Burn/Poison Method.
***Rapid Aggressive Recurrence 8-4-07 with same DX/TX. Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh. Never Give Up! ****UPDATE**** Our dear friend Petey passed away, RIP 9-2-07
| | |
#23696 07-08-2007 01:45 AM | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 794 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 794 | Sending good wishes your way. I think you will be soso relieved to finally get this over with, and it sounds like you are going to be just fine. Vaya con Dios!
Colleen--T-2N0M0 SCC dx'd 12/28/05...Hemi-maxillectomy, partial palatectomy, neck dissection 1/4/06....clear margins, neg. nodes....no radiation, no chemo....Cancer-free at 4 years!
| | |
#23697 07-08-2007 02:06 AM | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 446 "OCF Canuck" Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 446 | We'll all be thinking of you. More importantly, we'll all be waiting to hear from you AFTER it's all over with
Much luck
Wayne
SCC left mandible TIVN0M0 40% of jaw removed, rebuilt using fibula, titanium and tissue from forearm.June 06. 30 IMRT Aug.-Oct. 06
| | |
#23698 07-08-2007 08:46 AM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 | It was great talking with you the other day. You will be fine, however even knowing what to expect, the whole thing is scary. We have all been there.
I just want to reiterate that since you won't be staying in the hospital, the pain meds will only be oral and that could be troublesome. If it gets too rough, you should be able to get the ENT to get you back in the hospital so that IV meds will be available.
Good luck and we look forward to updates from you or your girlfriend.
Jerry
Jerry
Retired Dentist, 59 years old at diagnosis. SCC of the left lateral border of the tongue (Stage I). Partial glossectomy and 30 nodes removed, 4/6/05. Nodes all clear. No chemo no radiation 18 year survivor.
"Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger"
| | |
#23699 07-08-2007 10:51 AM | Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,116 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,116 | Hi Christopher, I will be thinking of you and praying for you, please let us know how you are doing.....Carol
Diagnosed May 2002 with Stage IV tongue cancer, two lymph nodes positive. Surgery to remove 1/2 tongue, neck dissection, 35 radiation treatments. 11/2007, diagnosed with cancer of soft palate, surgery 12/14/07, jaw split. 3/24/10, cancer on tongue behind flap, need petscan, surgery scheduled 4/16/10
---update passed away 8-27-11---
| | |
#23700 07-09-2007 08:59 AM | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 136 Gold Member (100+ posts) | | Gold Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 136 | Hi Christopher,
Good luck. I'd say you'll be able to talk when you go home if you aren't staying over night in the hospital. I had a good sized piece of my tongue removed, saliva glands removed and the neck dissection and could still whisper talk the following day. They didn't want me to do too much talking the actual day of surgery - but you'll be too medicated to really want to that day anyway.
Like Jerry said - the hard part will be the pain meds if they are oral. Maybe you should ask about the patch pain meds. I haven't used them b/c I didn't know about them when I had my surgery - but if I had, I'd have asked. It was not fun to swallow those liquid meds. But, the pain was very controlled and I don't remember having much of it.....so don't worry about that part.
SCC Right Lateral Tongue T2N0M0 Dx 01/12/06, Surgery 01/25/06. Partial Glossectomy, Bilateral Neck Dissection - 22 lymph nodes - all clear. No radiation.
| | |
#23701 07-09-2007 09:59 AM | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 26 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 26 | Chris,
By now you are out of surgery and I hope everything went well. I had the same surgery and a neck dissection thrown in for good measure. I was amazed at how pain-free the whole process was. I was walking with my daughter 5 hours after surgery. I could talk well enough to be understood and most of my discomfort was in my throat from the neck node surgery. They have come a long way in controlling pain. Having my wisdom teeth removed 30 years ago was more painful. Any how, I hope you are resting comfortably and experience a quick recovery.
11/28/2006. Left lateral tongue, partial glossectomy, T3, moderately differentiated. 12 lymph nodes from neck, all clear. IMRT, 30X, ended 02/21/2007.
| | |
#23702 07-09-2007 11:18 AM | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 595 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 595 | Chris, good luck and best wishes. Hpoe all goes well with surgery and recovery. Bob
Bob age 57, non smoker,non drinker, ended treatment on 11 Nov 2007 and started back to work on 29 Nov 2007. Veterans Day 2012 the Battle was lowered, folded, Taps was played and the Flag buried as I am know a 5 year survivor. Semper-FI !!!
| | |
| Forums23 Topics18,280 Posts197,206 Members13,413 | | Most Online2,371
Sep 11th, 2025 | | |
|
