| | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 228 Gold Member (200+ posts) |  Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 228 | I have pictures pretty much from all along on my blog - not too many from my stay in the hospital but there's a few during treatment and after as well up to now. The link is in my profile.
Stephanie, 23, SCC on the right side of my tongue, surgery on 5-19-08, over half my tongue removed, free flap constructed from my forearm, bilateral neck dissection, one positive node. Radiation (32) and chemo (carboplatin) started on 6-16-08. Recurrence 4/09 in lungs.
**** Stephanie passed away 12.15.09.... RIP our dear friend****
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 228 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 228 | OH! And I got to see pictures that were taken DURING my surgery but I do not have them - my snappy happy plastic surgeon has them. I need to ask him for copies! They were awesome!
Stephanie, 23, SCC on the right side of my tongue, surgery on 5-19-08, over half my tongue removed, free flap constructed from my forearm, bilateral neck dissection, one positive node. Radiation (32) and chemo (carboplatin) started on 6-16-08. Recurrence 4/09 in lungs.
**** Stephanie passed away 12.15.09.... RIP our dear friend****
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 531 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 531 | Thanks Stephanie yours was the blog I was talking about...you camera happy wonderful snapshot taker...So how goes things haven't talked in a long time you must be busy living Isn't that wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!
Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
| | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 | Malka,
I Have An Alien Up My Nose?? I wish I'd known about that when I had my nasal tube, cuz that is hilarious!
- Margaret
Stage IV SCC lt lateral tongue, surgery 5/19/08 (partial gloss/upper neck dissection left side/radial free flap reconstruction) IMRT w/weekly Cisplatin & Erbitux 6/30/08, PEG 1 6/12/08 - out 7/14 (in abdominal wall, not stomach), PEG 2 7/23/08 - out 11/20/08, Tx done 8/18/08
Second SCC tumor, Stage 1, rt mobile tongue, removed 10/18/2016, right neck dissection 12/9/2016
Third SCC tumor, diagnosed, 4/19/2108, rt submandibular mass, HPV-, IMRT w/ weekly Cisplatin, 5/9 - 6/25/2018, PEG 3 5/31/2018
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 20 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 20 | darkeyedlady0 Yes, you are right, not worried what I will look like, just want to be prepared - I hate surprises!  I am diabetic like you and already had an infection from the tongue biopsy so will watch my neck incisions like a hawk. Thanks for the advice.
Last edited by lucifen; 11-16-2008 09:29 PM. Reason: forgot to put name of person i was answering
Lucinda 52 y.o. no risk factors -dxed 11/10/09 w/ Right lateral tongue SCC 2cm, bilateral neck dissection with 3 nodes positve on right, Induction chemoTx followed by ChemoradioTx, last Tx 4/3/09, PET/CT 11/8/09 showed no sign of recurrence.
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 531 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 531 | We have different thoughts on the infection...one doctor thought diabeties, another thought due to fat cells, and I myself thought cause I touched it too much when trying to keep my trach closed to talk...I think the doctors and the nurses really kept an eye on my diabeties...I am insulin dependant not sure about you I was so afraid of being low and not being able to eat to adjust it but I really had nothing to worry about. When I went back for a check up a week after discharge the doctor was sure I was smoking again cause my incision looked like I had had radiation then he realized I was diabetic and only quit a day before surgery. He apolgized and now tomorrow I go to see him again and he is going to be sooo pleased I know I am!!! If your doctors are like mine you will be just fine!!!! Just be prepared to get a lot of rest!!
Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 531 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 531 | Oh yeah and I forgot a bit of advise it is better for your healing process to keep your sugars lower...you probably knew this but I didn't realize how much it affected the healing process..
Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 20 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 20 | Malka,
That's funny, I called the growth on my tongue the alien, told everyone I was having the alien removed! Didn't know how true it was at the time because a biopsy 5 months earlier was benign - grr.
Lucinda 52 y.o. no risk factors -dxed 11/10/09 w/ Right lateral tongue SCC 2cm, bilateral neck dissection with 3 nodes positve on right, Induction chemoTx followed by ChemoradioTx, last Tx 4/3/09, PET/CT 11/8/09 showed no sign of recurrence.
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 20 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 20 | I'll take all the advice I can get, don't worry about thinking it's something I already know, reinforcement never hurts. I'm a type 2 diabetic, just started on Lantus insulin in July 2008, still taking oral meds too though. A1C came down a whole point since starting insulin though - yippee!
Lucinda 52 y.o. no risk factors -dxed 11/10/09 w/ Right lateral tongue SCC 2cm, bilateral neck dissection with 3 nodes positve on right, Induction chemoTx followed by ChemoradioTx, last Tx 4/3/09, PET/CT 11/8/09 showed no sign of recurrence.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | Well we all know to send to get Stephanie for Christmas. As for me and pics, It was bad enough to look in the mirror. I will look thru pics my kids took wnem they came to visit and if I have any, I will email them to you.
Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
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