If the jaw splitting is your biggest concern, there are surgeons that do this without splitting the jaw, my husband's surgeon did. I read through the replies quickly. You said at the OU Hospital there are plenty of oncologists. Have you met with them? I would advise meeting with both a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist as well as the head and neck surgeon. Sometimes they have a different pespective because of their specialties.

Know you're in the thoughts of lots of people in this forum. Keep us posted. Keep the questions coming.

Lowanne

Hello Jennifer,

My jaw was not wired shut after surgery. They kind of like screw it back together. I couldn't see anything it's all under the skin.
I did have a trach and didn't like it one bit. It was only in for about two weeks. I had a suction machine ordered by my doctor to remove alot of mucous the first month or so.

Many of us have had this type of surgery and survived and you will to!!
I was eating about two weeks after my surgery. Mostly soft foods and alot of soup. I did have a PEG tube in for 7 months. I needed to input enough to heal without losing weight. Some go without the PEG and do fine.

Hoping you have a full recovery, Danny Boy

Thanks. Nice to hear from all of you about your experiences with this! Sounds like I can weather the jaw split okay and won't look like a character from a Mary Shelley novel. :-) I will however check into seeing if they can do it without splitting the jaw.

Interesting to hear about the tracheotomy. I had wondered how that would be. I think I will dislike it also, but sounds like it is more annoying than anything.

Had a call from the dr. to discuss the surgery, but they called my home. I called back and left my office number, but haven't heard from them yet. I will try again in a bit.

OH! Almost forgot. I sat my daughter down last night and told her about the surgery. Told her what they would do, and that I would have a scar and look "different" for a while. Also explained it was cancer, but that I would be fine and the dr.'s would remove it. All she asked was if she could come see me in the hospital. What a sweetie.

Anyway, thanks again, and I will update as I know more. Thank you for helping me through this difficult process.

Jennifer

P.S. Mark, my husband and I have wills in place, but it doesn't include our new baby yet. I will work to get it ammended. Thank you for the reminder.

Hi Jennifer
Minnie is right about the trachie, sounds worse than it is, without her input I would have freaked out, but I woke to the main thought, YEP I can breath no problem, make up a wipe board to take with you, paper runs out to quick. They will control your pain and the swelling will soon go down, my brothers twin boys 12 years old came the day after the op, they did good..for them the real stuff was better than their imagination. Make sure she understands you cannot talk for a few days, tell her it doesn't hurt, it doesn't, but it's a bummer if you want to shout s##t and you cannot speak, my husband is blind and doesn't do notes...
Sunshine... love and hugs
Helen

Helen is absolutely correct about having something to write with. Have someone there with writing materials when you come to, because you will have questions. After a few days, you will be able to talk by putting your finger over the trach. Mine did not hurt at all, the removal was painless, it healed very quickly with just a bandaid, and today one must look very closely to even tell I had one. You do not need to add this to your list of worries, Jennifer.

Thanks to all of you. I had planned to get a small write/erase board, but keep forgetting. I'll go get one today. One thing, my oldest daughter is in the first grade and can read now, so it will be nice to be able to communicate directly with her.

Today was tough. I had been handling things just fine. My husband went to work for a while this morning. I don't know why, but after he left...this wave of fear just came over me. I kept thinking about the words in a book a friend gave me that says "How you respond to your diagnosis of cancer is your choice. You can deal with it however you choose.". So, I just kept telling myself that. I'll be damned if this stuff is going to run my life....especially this last week before surgery.

Anyway, your advice and words of encouragement have been invaluable. Thank you so much. Oh. My pre-surgery appt. is on the 19th. My surgery is still scheduled for the 23rd.

Thank you!
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer
Have you got a laptop you could take with you? www.readplease.com has a free download of text to speech, easy to use and good for distracting kids.
You have a good attitude please stay with us, ask what ever comes to mind, we are all here to help. Can someone you know update us while you are in hospital?
Take Care
Sunshine... love and hugs
Helen

Jennifer, this is a "Good Luck Wish" from Arkansas. John's surgery was almost 4 weeks ago and other than some tiredness issues and major food frustrations, he is doing very well. We will be thinking about you. Amy

Jennifer,

Will be wishing your surgery goes as well as it can. Also will be thinking of you and your family on the 23rd. Looking forward to reading your post-surgery comments and questions.
Remember the first steps into a new journey are the most frightful. There is light at the end of the tunnel. It will take you awhile to get there but you will!!!

All my Best, Danny Boy

Jennifer, You and your family will be in my prayers on the 23rd. Good for you for reminding yourself you can choose your response in the face of your fear. That's what courage is about.

Nelie