Hi all. So, as the title suggests....my Cancer has returned. My first surgery was May 3rd, 2017, but margins were not clear, followed by a secong surgery on May 10th, 2017... to remove more of the Cancer. This time they said the margins were clear. August 2nd, 2017 was my last radiation treatment. It was a horrible experience which you can find out about on my previous posts. So, here I am, November 7th, 2017. Quickly recapping, i noticed a lump appeared a little further back on my tongue, while on a celebratory vacation, to ironically celebrate the final end to my Cancer. When i returned saw the doc, he examined it, and went straight to a biopsy. Results back today. Cancer. Same kind. Squamous Cell Carcinoma. My surgeon, suggests that I go to Emory to have my surgery. I will have a much more invasive surgery, which will most likely involve a partial, if not total glossectomy. With reconstruction to follow. At this moment, that is all I know. It has been a crappy day. And did I mention the reoccurring stupid...#$%$@#$, THRUSH!!!!!

How frustrating. Thinking of you and sending my best. Emory is a great hospital.

Thanks Stef. I knew it was a possibility, but i didnt think it would happen so soon after rads. I hope you are doing well. Sending you lots of wishes and prayers as well.

Wendy Im very sorry to read about your recurrence!!! Ive been there myself and know how defeated you must be feeling. Hang in there and do your best to stay positive.

Not going to lie, I'm going in to this a bit scared. But, with the experience and knowledge of everyone here on the forum, it makes it less scary. I know it will be tough, and this time around, i know the pitfalls to avoid and how to better take care of myself and take the advice given by those who have been through it. Thanks Christine. You have been a wondrous help.

Wendy, i’m sorry to hear that you have a recurrence. My husband had his six months after he finished his rads. So, I know how it feels. I’m glad to see that you have a positive attitude towards the upcoming treatment and that you will face it bravely. Good for you. Do let us know how things go. Keeping you in my thoughts.

Wendy,

I think the second diagnosis is harder to hear than the first because you already have an idea of what amount of energy and will power it will take to become cancer free.

So sorry to hear about this.

Hemi or full glossectomy.... That's a tough one. Please be sure you ask as many questions as possible prior to the surgery and have someone around as much as possible during your recovery.

Hope for the best, partial resection, but plan for the worst.

Good Luck

Mine came back about that quickly, too. I think these tongue cancers are just weird. I hope all goes well this second time around, and that foreknowledge makes at least some part of the process go easier for you. ((hugs))

Hi all! Update time. Its a little over a month since surgery. Had a hemiglossectomy, tongue reconstruction from left forearm "free flap", skin graft from thigh, tracheotomy, ng (nasal feeding tube), cath tube, lymph nodes removed from my left side. Whew! Not going to sugar coat it, it was rough that firat 2 weeks. But now that i past that hurdle, I got stronger and better everyday. I cant tell you the difference a few weeks make in healing. Before, i could not taste anything, except the Most extreme flavors, salty, sweet. Once i began to swallow on my own, i realized all my taste came back, no gradual about it. I CAN TASTE AGAIN! HALLELUJAH! Now mind you my tongue is still crazy weird. The shape is wrong and still a bit swollen., But im swallowing solid food....yeah! Way excited! Now it may bit little bits at a time with lots of water chasers to get it down, but, I hadnt had regular food since all this began on April 2017. My weight has stabilized. Im down a 100lbs since it all began, havent gained any back, but havent lost anymore so kudos to me. Anyway, thanks to Emory University Midtown, my recovery and care was amazeballs!

Oh and speaking ...will most likely be an issue forever, but, do not be discouraged. You can be understood. Doing mouth exercises, drinking fluids and practice all the tume, it gets better. It becomes a problem if you overwork your mouth. The longer I talk or eat, I become less coherent. I have confidence that I will find my new normal, and if you are going through something similar , you will too.

Glad to hear that your ability to taste food and speak has returned. I had a similar recovery timeline with a similar surgery. Although I didn't have that whole terrible reoccurrence thing to deal with (knock on wood) and I had my rads after my surgery, so I lost my sense of taste twice and it recovered both times.

For me, almost four years later speech can still sometimes be a hurdle. I still have difficulty making certain sounds, so I will occasionally have to come up with a different word to describe what I was trying to say when someone does not understand what I had said. Or sometimes resort to spelling something out in phonetic code because people think I said G when I was trying to say D (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, haha). But no other real complaints so far.

So happy for you. I've found that learning from others experiences have helped me the most.