Sinjz
Flashlight Enthusiast
I don't typically post these type of personal things, but something about CPF makes it feel alright to do so.
My father is going under the knife in the morning to remove a cancerous mass about the size of a walnut; It's under his tounge. They are cutting away half his tounge and rebuilding it by removing muscle mass from his left arm. I hear it will take about 12 hours, including the reconstruction. Afterward, it seems a couple of months of rehabilitation awaits, as he will need to re-learn how to speak and eat.
Anyway, just asking for a few prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery. Thanks.
update 1/25/07:
He's made it through surgery okay. It actually took closer to 14 hours and they kept him sedated for most of the day after. They successfully removed the cancer from the tounge. Still awaiting labs on the nodes they removed. He has a tube in his throat to help him breath. Will have that in for another two weeks. He hates the food tube they use to feed him. Not sure when they start speech therapy. Left arm is in a cast for about six weeks, he'll starts that part of his physical therapy after it comes off. He'll be in the hospital for another week and a half to two weeks, then the hard work begins.
update 1/31/07
He had to go under the knife again. Something wasn't right with the trac tube thing. It was bleeding, so they had to send him down to the OR again. They said it wasn't a big deal, but it sounds like he'll have to start over on waiting for his throat to heal. On top of that they have him back in the 'Recovery Room', down from the 'Post Op' room and he doesn't like it at all. I think the pain med they give him are having bad reactions too. He's acting paranoid about everything. :sigh:
update 2/2/07
My father got moved back up the a 'post op' room today. I was able to speak to a social worker there, about my father, and she's giving me a VERY different story than the doctor and nurses were. I spoke to a doc and nurse in the recovery room and a different nurse from the post op room he was in previous to his second procedure, two days ago. All three said the trac thing was not that big a deal and they just needed to fix some bleeding. Today the social worker just told me that it WAS a big deal, that complications with the trac set him back and he may need to keep the trac in even when released, AND that my dad almost died that night. She said a lot of people were running in and out that night to fix the problem. She actually said this to my mother, but what the #$%^&*(??? Who am I suppose to believe and how do I get to the bottom of this?
update 2/7/07
Finally got the pathalogy report back for his lymph nodes and it's all negative, which is positive.
Sounds like he'll still have to go through radiation treatment though. Everything is still to be determined. He's up and able to take a few steps before he needs to sit again and at last check, they are able to cover up hi trac (with tape) and he's able to breath through his mouth and nose. Although they did have to hook him up to some oxygen after his short walk. Hopefully he gets his legs back fast, his house has stairs. Prayers and wishes, keep em coming. I hope the radiation treatment doesn't cause any set backs.
update 2/20/07
Dad should be out of the hospital tomorrow. He's doing much better. He can breath on his own, can cough up phlem (no need to stick a tube down his throat to do it). He can even talk a little now. He passed his swallow test, so he can drink stuff, but no food yet, unless it's pureed. Looks like they will make him wait SIX whole weeks before they decide on radiation therapy though. :shrug: Thanks again for all the prayers and wishes guys! :thumbsup:
My father is going under the knife in the morning to remove a cancerous mass about the size of a walnut; It's under his tounge. They are cutting away half his tounge and rebuilding it by removing muscle mass from his left arm. I hear it will take about 12 hours, including the reconstruction. Afterward, it seems a couple of months of rehabilitation awaits, as he will need to re-learn how to speak and eat.
Anyway, just asking for a few prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery. Thanks.
update 1/25/07:
He's made it through surgery okay. It actually took closer to 14 hours and they kept him sedated for most of the day after. They successfully removed the cancer from the tounge. Still awaiting labs on the nodes they removed. He has a tube in his throat to help him breath. Will have that in for another two weeks. He hates the food tube they use to feed him. Not sure when they start speech therapy. Left arm is in a cast for about six weeks, he'll starts that part of his physical therapy after it comes off. He'll be in the hospital for another week and a half to two weeks, then the hard work begins.
update 1/31/07
He had to go under the knife again. Something wasn't right with the trac tube thing. It was bleeding, so they had to send him down to the OR again. They said it wasn't a big deal, but it sounds like he'll have to start over on waiting for his throat to heal.
On top of that they have him back in the 'Recovery Room', down from the 'Post Op' room and he doesn't like it at all. I think the pain med they give him are having bad reactions too. He's acting paranoid about everything. :sigh:update 2/2/07
My father got moved back up the a 'post op' room today. I was able to speak to a social worker there, about my father, and she's giving me a VERY different story than the doctor and nurses were. I spoke to a doc and nurse in the recovery room and a different nurse from the post op room he was in previous to his second procedure, two days ago. All three said the trac thing was not that big a deal and they just needed to fix some bleeding. Today the social worker just told me that it WAS a big deal, that complications with the trac set him back and he may need to keep the trac in even when released, AND that my dad almost died that night. She said a lot of people were running in and out that night to fix the problem. She actually said this to my mother, but what the #$%^&*(??? Who am I suppose to believe and how do I get to the bottom of this?
update 2/7/07
Finally got the pathalogy report back for his lymph nodes and it's all negative, which is positive.
Sounds like he'll still have to go through radiation treatment though. Everything is still to be determined. He's up and able to take a few steps before he needs to sit again and at last check, they are able to cover up hi trac (with tape) and he's able to breath through his mouth and nose. Although they did have to hook him up to some oxygen after his short walk. Hopefully he gets his legs back fast, his house has stairs. Prayers and wishes, keep em coming. I hope the radiation treatment doesn't cause any set backs.update 2/20/07
Dad should be out of the hospital tomorrow. He's doing much better. He can breath on his own, can cough up phlem (no need to stick a tube down his throat to do it). He can even talk a little now. He passed his swallow test, so he can drink stuff, but no food yet, unless it's pureed.
Looks like they will make him wait SIX whole weeks before they decide on radiation therapy though. :shrug: Thanks again for all the prayers and wishes guys! :thumbsup:
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