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Joined: Oct 2012
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Hi Shelby,

My husband just got home from the hospital and he had a partial glossectomy ( they took 75%) of his tiongue, neck disection, and partial pharyngectomy. He's doing okay. He looked in the mirror for the first time today when we got home. He loooks like a mac truck smacked him the face and neck but he's alive and he will get well again. The incision is healing nicely. He won't even have a scar. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that it's doable. It's tough but it's doable. Good Luck on the 27th.


Bette/CG to husband Reggie 66

dx 1: SCC Soft Palate (12/06)
tx: chemo and rad

dx 2: SCC 6 cm tum rt. vocal chord (12/09)
tx: total laryngectomy with stoma, 2 nodes

dx 3: SCC 4 cm tum BOT (10/16/12)
Tx: partial gloss w/ mod deck dis 4 nodes incl. part. pharyngectomy
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 381
"OCF Canuck"
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"OCF Canuck"
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Shelby,

The drains were tubes from my neck to deal with some of the swelling (there was a lot), but I couldn't see where they conneted (I assume the incision sites). My range of motion was very limited and I couldn't really tilt my head back to see. Also 2 were out before I was even getting out of bed!

No drains on the tongue, and it was very swollen after the surgery. It is almost down to normal size now.

The scars aren't bad. They start behind my ear, about halfway up, and extend down to my collarbone on both sides, and then right across my throat, but they have faded dramatically since the surgery so that parts are hardly visible. I expect they will all fade to a thin white line. The trach hole scar is barely visible to me, even though I know where it was.

When the scars were really noticable, I told people I was attacked by a bear. You should people's faces when I tell that one, it was a riot!

Keep us posted. I know the waiting is stressful, so if you need to talk, we're here.


Tina
Diag: Aug. 13/12
T3N0M0
50% + glossectomy and bilateral radical neck dissection, removal of nodes zones I - V
Surgery October 11/12
Chemo/rad on hold due to clear margins and nodes
Sept 21/13 clear CT with anomaly thought to be the artery, being watched closely.
Dec 16/13 - anomaly confirmed artery, all clear
nickname: "get 'r done"
Plans: kick cancer's butt
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,260
Likes: 3
"OCF Canuck"
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"OCF Canuck"
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Hi - sorry I'm late jumping In - Shelby you're very young... Sorry you're going through this. The surgery is not too bad. I had the same surgery two years ago this coming February - I too looked i'd gone a few rounds with a truck but by day 10 I was much better. The scarring has healed nicely, my tongue is almost nomal, and speech after this time 22 months post op - 19 mos post treatment - is good. Taste has come back almost completely. (sweet is still illusive) but that's radiation fall out not because of surgery. Hope everything goes well for you on the 27th. You will be surprised how little pain you'll have. You'll likely be numb particularly where they dissected you. I was off pain meds at day two but I have a high pain tolerance. How did your scan go?

The drains are usually from the neck dissection and there may be two. You'll also likely have a trache as well. - bring a notepad and pen the trache is generally not a fenestrated trache so you can't communicate for a few days. Re scars - that depends on your physican. I do have a noticeable but fairly small trache scar, and my wrist healed nicely and my neck scar is almost invisible. My dr. Did invisible stitching and I asked him to split my jaw only if absolutely necessary - he didn't have to but swore he lost a few pounds because of it! smile

Hugs and take care.


Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 381
"OCF Canuck"
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"OCF Canuck"
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Shelby, I also have pics of the week after surgery and more recent on my main page if you scroll on the time line to october 2012.


Tina
Diag: Aug. 13/12
T3N0M0
50% + glossectomy and bilateral radical neck dissection, removal of nodes zones I - V
Surgery October 11/12
Chemo/rad on hold due to clear margins and nodes
Sept 21/13 clear CT with anomaly thought to be the artery, being watched closely.
Dec 16/13 - anomaly confirmed artery, all clear
nickname: "get 'r done"
Plans: kick cancer's butt
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
Shelby Offline OP
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
Haha! I love the bear attack! I'm gonna have to steal that one from you! smile Thank you for your help!


Shelby, 28 yrs old, stage 3 tongue cancer, non- smoker, not HPV, 12/27/12 partial glossectomy and neck dissection, 1 lymph node positive, Chemo and Rad 5 days a week, 32 treatments, feeding tube in, finish treatment 3/22/13 smile back to normal basically
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
Shelby Offline OP
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Oooo splitting the jaw... Ya I wouldn't want that either! haha Love the name of your album by the way!

The scan was good smile They said it showed "abnormal activities" in my lymph nodes and will proceed with the planned surgery. At least it hasn't spread anywhere else (Thank God!) But I'm assuming the "abnormal activities" means cancer, but I guess I won't know for sure till the actual surgery. One step at a time I guess!


Shelby, 28 yrs old, stage 3 tongue cancer, non- smoker, not HPV, 12/27/12 partial glossectomy and neck dissection, 1 lymph node positive, Chemo and Rad 5 days a week, 32 treatments, feeding tube in, finish treatment 3/22/13 smile back to normal basically
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,260
Likes: 3
"OCF Canuck"
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
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"OCF Canuck"
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,260
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Yes one step at a time... Enjoy your food now and bulk up. Do ask how many nodes lit up. And the differentiation (differentiation from path not scan). I think with nodal involvement they should recommend rads and chemo particularly because of your age. Hugs!!!


Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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