Surgery tomorrow

j3rey
j3rey Member Posts: 57
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Thank you John, for your positive outlook! We believe in positive energy as well..and prayer. Tried to post a reply to you but don't think it went before the computer burped. We are fishing fans as well. Hubby owns a fishing lure company. :) Hoping he can still get out some during all of this.
Surgery to remove lymph nodes tomorrow. Dr would rather do surgery before radiation so skin heals better. Thanks, Rick, for the update on your surgery and back to work in two weeks! Hoping that what they find tomorrow is what they expect. Keep happy thought for us tomorrow.
Thank you all for this site and your knowledge and experiences that are such a help to those of us just getting started on this journey. Will let you know as we continue.
Thanks all,
Jen

Comments

  • stevenl
    stevenl Member Posts: 587
    DX St IV Right tonsil primary mets to lymph nodes
    HI Jen,
    I found out I had cancer Jan 15th. I am already through treatments. Rads and chemo are done. I have to sat that I could return to work. April 9th was my last treatment. Just wanted to give you some uplifting words, you know the it is not all bad type of post. I am a bricklayer superintendent,and in that capacity I know I could work. My company and I disagree.

    I know you are having neck dissection procedure tomorrow, that' is the way it happened for me.
    Jan 8th - Visit to ent
    Jan 12th - needle biopsy
    Jan 14th - visit to ent
    Jan 15th - actual dx from ent and all appointments set up by ent before I left his office
    Jan 22nd - right neck dissection, tonsillectomy, endoscopy ant 23 lymph nodes removed
    Jan 29th - 6 teeth removed, other cosmetic dental work done at another dentist
    Feb 17th - port and peg installed
    April 9th -end of treatment.

    I am doing better than most that you talk to here, so keep the faith. I am actually quite busy and not having all the dreadful symptom some are having. hang in there, and I am praying for you guys.

    ALL THE BEST
    STEVE
  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    Good Luck
    Good Luck Jen with hubby. Keep us posted on how he does and results of surgery. My partner was just diagnosed this month and he has neck disection mid-May after endoscopy biopsy and super-sized tonsilectomy next week. Helpful to hear how things go for those that go before. Best wishes for finding less rather than more and a speedy recovery.
    Kim
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Best of Luck Jen & Hubby
    LOL, I probably own some of his lures....

    Like Steve, although we had different treatments and I had no surgery, I was heavy into the chemo and concurrent chemo/radiation.

    A lot depends on your health and mental attitude going in I believe. I also had it relatively easy compared to some. But that's always said with a grain of salt, what might be easier to some could be very difficult for others.

    But I can't help but think that a positive attitude, faith, family and friends help tremendously also. I've seen the power of positive attitudes, it's awesome.

    So keep him surrounded with positive energies, remind him of fishing and being out on the water. In the middle of my chemo, my wife and I went out several times, even if it was just spending a little time on the boat and fishing local freshwater.

    Best of luck to you both today, hoping everything turns out as positive as can be. You're both in my prayers today.

    Good Luck, God Bless,
    John
  • j3rey
    j3rey Member Posts: 57
    Skiffin16 said:

    Best of Luck Jen & Hubby
    LOL, I probably own some of his lures....

    Like Steve, although we had different treatments and I had no surgery, I was heavy into the chemo and concurrent chemo/radiation.

    A lot depends on your health and mental attitude going in I believe. I also had it relatively easy compared to some. But that's always said with a grain of salt, what might be easier to some could be very difficult for others.

    But I can't help but think that a positive attitude, faith, family and friends help tremendously also. I've seen the power of positive attitudes, it's awesome.

    So keep him surrounded with positive energies, remind him of fishing and being out on the water. In the middle of my chemo, my wife and I went out several times, even if it was just spending a little time on the boat and fishing local freshwater.

    Best of luck to you both today, hoping everything turns out as positive as can be. You're both in my prayers today.

    Good Luck, God Bless,
    John

    Surgery completed - first step
    Hi John and all,
    Surgery went great. It was long, five hours, but surgeon took a long time to spare as many nerves as possible. Hubby has full strength and movement in his left arm and just a tad of numbness behind his left ear and along the back of his left shoulder. Doc said this feeling may or may not come back (minor in hubby's mind). He has two drains that we have to empty every six hours and measure the fluid. He is HOME! 24 hours after surgery. I am amazed, thankful, and feel blessed. Twenty lymph nodes were taken and we will wait for pathology report for a few days to hear whether next step will be radiation only or radiation with chemo. Thank you all and will keep posted on the next leg of this healing journey. :)
    Jen
  • pattyanny
    pattyanny Member Posts: 544
    j3rey said:

    Surgery completed - first step
    Hi John and all,
    Surgery went great. It was long, five hours, but surgeon took a long time to spare as many nerves as possible. Hubby has full strength and movement in his left arm and just a tad of numbness behind his left ear and along the back of his left shoulder. Doc said this feeling may or may not come back (minor in hubby's mind). He has two drains that we have to empty every six hours and measure the fluid. He is HOME! 24 hours after surgery. I am amazed, thankful, and feel blessed. Twenty lymph nodes were taken and we will wait for pathology report for a few days to hear whether next step will be radiation only or radiation with chemo. Thank you all and will keep posted on the next leg of this healing journey. :)
    Jen

    I am so happy to hear the
    I am so happy to hear the good news! Stay strong and positive! May God bless you both!
    Love & Prayers, Patty
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    j3rey said:

    Surgery completed - first step
    Hi John and all,
    Surgery went great. It was long, five hours, but surgeon took a long time to spare as many nerves as possible. Hubby has full strength and movement in his left arm and just a tad of numbness behind his left ear and along the back of his left shoulder. Doc said this feeling may or may not come back (minor in hubby's mind). He has two drains that we have to empty every six hours and measure the fluid. He is HOME! 24 hours after surgery. I am amazed, thankful, and feel blessed. Twenty lymph nodes were taken and we will wait for pathology report for a few days to hear whether next step will be radiation only or radiation with chemo. Thank you all and will keep posted on the next leg of this healing journey. :)
    Jen

    Great News
    Glad he's home with you Jen, and you with him....keep him fighting the good fight.

    Prayers with you,
    John
  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    Glad to hear
    Glad to hear your husband is recovering well, and best of luck and wishes as his treatment moves ahead.
  • j3rey
    j3rey Member Posts: 57
    Kimba1505 said:

    Good Luck
    Good Luck Jen with hubby. Keep us posted on how he does and results of surgery. My partner was just diagnosed this month and he has neck disection mid-May after endoscopy biopsy and super-sized tonsilectomy next week. Helpful to hear how things go for those that go before. Best wishes for finding less rather than more and a speedy recovery.
    Kim

    Hi Kim
    Neck dissection went really well. He has had little pain and has only used one pain pill to get some sleep last night. With the drains in place he needed to sleep in the recliner and it helped him to get some sleep. We were home from this surgery within 24 hours. My husband's doctors all work as a team and while he was under anesthesia they scoped him to look for what they think is the primary and for anything else they might find. He has no tonsils but the suspect spot is right under where his tonsil used to be. They biopsied this while he was out as well. This appears to be the only spot they saw. Both doctors went into OR with him to get it all done while he was under.We are waiting now, for pathology reports on this spot and the 20 or so lymph nodes the surgeon took. As far as our experience has been, this surgery is not so bad. He is busily chatting business on the phone and eating most anything (his throat is a tad sore from the biopsy). He is up and moving around. Emptying the fluid in his drains himself. One of these comes out on Saturday and the other next week. Hope this helps! I'll keep you posted on the next step. It seems you are moving along close to our same time schedule. Take care and God bless.
    Jen
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    j3rey said:

    Hi Kim
    Neck dissection went really well. He has had little pain and has only used one pain pill to get some sleep last night. With the drains in place he needed to sleep in the recliner and it helped him to get some sleep. We were home from this surgery within 24 hours. My husband's doctors all work as a team and while he was under anesthesia they scoped him to look for what they think is the primary and for anything else they might find. He has no tonsils but the suspect spot is right under where his tonsil used to be. They biopsied this while he was out as well. This appears to be the only spot they saw. Both doctors went into OR with him to get it all done while he was under.We are waiting now, for pathology reports on this spot and the 20 or so lymph nodes the surgeon took. As far as our experience has been, this surgery is not so bad. He is busily chatting business on the phone and eating most anything (his throat is a tad sore from the biopsy). He is up and moving around. Emptying the fluid in his drains himself. One of these comes out on Saturday and the other next week. Hope this helps! I'll keep you posted on the next step. It seems you are moving along close to our same time schedule. Take care and God bless.
    Jen

    awesome jen!
    I am very glad that your hubby is doing so well. Home in 24 hours is great. I must always be the exception, they did not let me out for three days. LOL.