going in for surgery
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- Speed Racer
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I've been exchanging messages with Dan's wife Ginger. He came through the surgery well. Dan will be in the ICU 3-5 days. They were awaiting some test results from the neck biopsy. The tongue surgery was such that he can speak to his family. He may need some speech therapy to get some of the southern drawl back
I'm sure he'll post some later.
I'm sure he'll post some later.
- StephanAlfa
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HOT-DIGGITY-DOG YA'LL!
That is some great news! :thumbleft:
That is some great news! :thumbleft:
Stephan de Pénasse - Classroom Instructor - http://www.comscc.org
2001 BMW 330i Sports Package (T-60 Class)
2001 BMW 330i Sports Package (T-60 Class)
Hey everybody! I've been at home since Saturday, just now plugged the computer back in. The results were pretty good, it seems like I've kept most of my oral tongue and all of my base-of-tongue. They had planned to either sew the tongue up, or apply a skin graft, or a radial forearm flap (which involves taking not only a layer of skin but a vein and an artery as well from the forearm), depending on how much they had to remove. I'm very happy to say that they were able to just stitch it up without a graft. What they had to remove was smallish relative to the range of their expectations. I was actually speaking in the recovery room, but time and probably speech therapy will be required. My expectation is to be about 85-95% of my previous level of intelligibility (~65% at the moment).
Currently I have Frankenstein's monster staples in my neck extending down from behind my right ear to a couple of inches above my collarbone, and over to mid neck. Looks pretty creepy! Tomorrow the staples come out.
The important thing is how the biopsy of the neck lymph nodes goes. If there is only one involved node, and the cancer is well encapsulated, there is the possibility that radiation and chemo won't be required. Which would be nice... Should know within the week.
Thanks again, everyone, and keep me in your thoughts/prayers/meditations/etc., not outta the woods yet!
Currently I have Frankenstein's monster staples in my neck extending down from behind my right ear to a couple of inches above my collarbone, and over to mid neck. Looks pretty creepy! Tomorrow the staples come out.
The important thing is how the biopsy of the neck lymph nodes goes. If there is only one involved node, and the cancer is well encapsulated, there is the possibility that radiation and chemo won't be required. Which would be nice... Should know within the week.
Thanks again, everyone, and keep me in your thoughts/prayers/meditations/etc., not outta the woods yet!
'17 Subaru BRZ PP, #7 T50
Gone but not forgotten: Datsun 240Z, #7 SPB
Gone but not forgotten: Datsun 240Z, #7 SPB
Oh yeah, go to the dentist twice a year and specifically request an inspection of your mouth for signs of cancer! Dentists are doing this a lot more now, hopefully it will become de rigeur in the future. Meanwhile, be sure yours does an inspection while he's in there!
'17 Subaru BRZ PP, #7 T50
Gone but not forgotten: Datsun 240Z, #7 SPB
Gone but not forgotten: Datsun 240Z, #7 SPB
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- Speed Racer
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- StephanAlfa
- Speed Racer
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- Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2006 6:01 am
- Location: Merrimack, NH
Interesting approach. While you are in for root canal, might as well check the rest of your mouth...DanB wrote:Oh yeah, go to the dentist twice a year and specifically request an inspection of your mouth for signs of cancer! Dentists are doing this a lot more now, hopefully it will become de rigeur in the future. Meanwhile, be sure yours does an inspection while he's in there!
Too bad they can't check for hemorroids or prostrate from these as it would have been less painfull given one's already under novacaine .
All kidding aside, I continue to pray for your good health and speedy recovery.
Keep sending news on your progress!
Stephan de Pénasse - Classroom Instructor - http://www.comscc.org
2001 BMW 330i Sports Package (T-60 Class)
2001 BMW 330i Sports Package (T-60 Class)
GREAT NEWS:
At my post-op appointment at Dana-Farber today we got the results of the neck lymph nodes biopsy. All nodes are clear, no cancer! And the margins looked good on the tongue tumor, which turns out to have been a bit smaller than estimated at 1.8cm long by 4mm deep.
So, technically I was T1, N0, which is Stage 1. A LONG stretch better than the T2, N2 or Stage III which it might have been.
Thanks to ALL of you guys for being here for me.
All for now, I'm going to bed. Between eating actual really sorta solid food for the first time after surgery this evening, and talking on the phone with family (both a real workout for my beleaguered tongue), I'm BEAT. Feeling GREAT, though
Dan
At my post-op appointment at Dana-Farber today we got the results of the neck lymph nodes biopsy. All nodes are clear, no cancer! And the margins looked good on the tongue tumor, which turns out to have been a bit smaller than estimated at 1.8cm long by 4mm deep.
So, technically I was T1, N0, which is Stage 1. A LONG stretch better than the T2, N2 or Stage III which it might have been.
Thanks to ALL of you guys for being here for me.
All for now, I'm going to bed. Between eating actual really sorta solid food for the first time after surgery this evening, and talking on the phone with family (both a real workout for my beleaguered tongue), I'm BEAT. Feeling GREAT, though
Dan
'17 Subaru BRZ PP, #7 T50
Gone but not forgotten: Datsun 240Z, #7 SPB
Gone but not forgotten: Datsun 240Z, #7 SPB
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