Hi all,
Teri's surgery for BOT SCC went well - all margins were clear. Believe it or not I haven't spoken to the surgeon yet as he had back to back surgeries & never came down to talk to me - I left a message with his service to call me. However, I was very dismayed when I got to see her that she's in ICU hooked up to a ventilator! Is that normal? The ICU nurse said it was because of the swelling. They've got her hands tied down because she's fighting the tubes (one in her mouth & one in her nose). Blood is seeping out of her mouth. She became more agitated when she saw me & wrote that she was in TERRIBLE pain and needed help. The nurse said that they are trying to knock her out by upping the meds to the max but she's still wide awake. What could be going on? Bonnie

I pray that they are able to sedate her and she can get some peace/rest.

Bonnie,

When I had a modified neck dissection and partial glossectomy I was in ICU for 24 hours after surgery, and was told it was normal for that type of procedure (this is, after all, major surgery). I had something of a feeling of being trapped with all the stuff I was hooked up to, but as I recall, the nurses did a good job of keeping the pain to a manageable level. I hope Teri's team can give her enough medication to help her get through this.

Cathy

Bonnie,they kept my hubby in ICU for about 50 hours, as sedated as possible, with a ventilator and monitors everywhere. The ICU is the best place for 24 hr. care and close personal nursing. [I would be relieved that she is there.] It was his second mouth surgery and neck dissection. He looked awful, a good bit of facial swelling [he also had a trach and tubes everywhere] By the time they moved him up to a room, he was more able to cope on his own. I know it is very scary for you, you just gotta hang in there. Ask good questions and stay alert about what your daughter is saying to you, but remember, she is not going to be reality based for awhile. This is a tough time. Amy

Bonnie, before my Op I was told there might be a chance I would be in ICU, does not stop it still being a major shock though when you come around in ICU. I was back on the ward within 48 hours. I was dribbling blood from the mouth for about ten day

Bonnie,

When I woke up in ICU, my hands were tied as well. They also only kept me awake for a little bit and then put me back under anesthesia so I could rest comfortably. The only pain I remember having in ICU was a migraine and trying to tell them I needed Imitrex, 6 mg IM. They tried like crazy to find it for me...I meant sub q. Once I got that, I was fine. I never felt pain from the surgery until I went to my regular room. I told my doctor, wow, I am in no pain and he smiled and tapped my IV bag.

It is scary now but it does get better every day.

Sincerely,
Lisa

I went from surgery to ICU and onto a ward within 36 hours, then 12 hours later back to ICU.

I suffered a respiratory arrest, followed by a coronary arrest. The former took me back to ICU, the latter kept me there an additional 6 days. I was asleep (chemically induced) for much of that time, so by the time I was finally "awake" the pain levels were very managable. I had the tied down hands as well; apparently I was awake enough at the onset of the respiratory problems to strike several nurses before I got the message across that I was having trouble breathing ;^)

It's a scary place, but as someone else said, it is the only place to get the high lavel care you need after surgery like this. I was really taken aback by how much the standard of care changed going to a ward from ICU...night and day.
Wayne

we're now one week post op and her pain hasn't decreased at all. Everything going thru the ng tube, she tried swallowing some tea today and almost went thru the roof. She starts amaphostine next week with the rad, I'm assuming the ng tube will stay in for the duration. She has terrible nausea (taking Zofran) - isn't this going to get even worse with the rad? And what happens if she vomits, what does that do to the incision site? We're only a week in and I feel like I'm falling apart already, can't eat or sleep. I so want to stay strong for her but I'm scared!! Worried Mom