So affraid

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  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #22
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    Healing thoughts
    Healing thoughts coming your way, Brad, albeit a little bit late. Hope the surgery went well and that you are poised for a quick and painless recovery.

    Good thoughts.

    Deb
  • rmkbrad
    rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
    #23
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    D Lewis said:

    Healing thoughts
    Healing thoughts coming your way, Brad, albeit a little bit late. Hope the surgery went well and that you are poised for a quick and painless recovery.

    Good thoughts.

    Deb

    Thank you everyone
    Well I'm two days post surgery, alot of swelling. My mental status is not very strong
    Just take it day by day, I'm sure when the swelling goes down it will help. Tired of typing on a phone
    Thanks
    Love brad
  • mswijiknyc
    mswijiknyc Member Posts: 421
    #24
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    rmkbrad said:

    Thank you everyone
    Well I'm two days post surgery, alot of swelling. My mental status is not very strong
    Just take it day by day, I'm sure when the swelling goes down it will help. Tired of typing on a phone
    Thanks
    Love brad

    post dissection
    After hubby's surgery (radical total neck dissection and a laryngectomy) he had a lot of swelling, and a lot of drainage from the site. He was a fast healer, so within a week he was ready to kick a$$ and take names :) everyone is different, but I know he said there was some tightness there almost like a neck tie tied too tight, so if you feel that it's very normal.

    You made it through - smile and celebrate :)

    April
    caregiver to Patrick stage 4 laryngeal
  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #25
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    rmkbrad said:

    Thank you everyone
    Well I'm two days post surgery, alot of swelling. My mental status is not very strong
    Just take it day by day, I'm sure when the swelling goes down it will help. Tired of typing on a phone
    Thanks
    Love brad

    Mental status
    Hi Brad, You say your mental status is not very strong yet. After all you have been through this is understandable but you have to keep telling yourself that you are a survivor. You have made it this far and will continue to improve weekly. Don't rush anything, let your body heal and rest. I didn't have surgery so I can't advise you on that but I do know about the mental aspect. Remind yourself that everything takes time...I know you are probably impatient for drastic changes...aren't we all :)

    Stay strong,
    Glenna
  • buzz99
    buzz99 Member Posts: 404
    #26
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    rmkbrad said:

    Thank you everyone
    Well I'm two days post surgery, alot of swelling. My mental status is not very strong
    Just take it day by day, I'm sure when the swelling goes down it will help. Tired of typing on a phone
    Thanks
    Love brad

    Hi Brad
    The anticipation is the worst part and you are past it. They really ought to change the name of the surgery. Neck dissection sounds so awful. Each day you will feel better. We are all in this together: caregivers as well as patients. Karen
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #27
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    rmkbrad said:

    Thank you everyone
    Well I'm two days post surgery, alot of swelling. My mental status is not very strong
    Just take it day by day, I'm sure when the swelling goes down it will help. Tired of typing on a phone
    Thanks
    Love brad

    Glad It Went Well
    Sorry about the swelling - I had it, too after my dissection in December. I, too was irritated and depressed about the internal swelling (failed my first round of swallow tests, and doc said they might need to put a PEG back in ARGH). Now, you'll be happy to hear, I'm perfectly able to overeat again. Heal quickly.
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #28
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    buzz99 said:

    Hi Brad
    The anticipation is the worst part and you are past it. They really ought to change the name of the surgery. Neck dissection sounds so awful. Each day you will feel better. We are all in this together: caregivers as well as patients. Karen

    Sounds Way Bad
    And having the word "radical" added in is an ugly bonus. Was kinda funny watching the look on some folks' faces when I told them the name of the procedure - till I told them that I expected it to not be as bad as tonsillectomy.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #29
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    rmkbrad said:

    Thank you everyone
    Well I'm two days post surgery, alot of swelling. My mental status is not very strong
    Just take it day by day, I'm sure when the swelling goes down it will help. Tired of typing on a phone
    Thanks
    Love brad

    Keep on pushing toward those positive thoughts Brad... Get rest and nutrition when you can. You're tough and I'm sure your body will start bouncing back soon...cancer free.

    Best,
    John
  • rmkbrad
    rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
    #30
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    Skiffin16 said:

    Keep on pushing toward those positive thoughts Brad... Get rest and nutrition when you can. You're tough and I'm sure your body will start bouncing back soon...cancer free.

    Best,
    John

    You guys are the greatest
    Well they took one drain out yesterday and the other one will probably
    come out today, scheduled to go home tomorrow could have went home
    today but storming over the mountains and didn't want the family to drive
    in a snow storm. Now my main complaint is the swelling and stiffness in my
    neck, I have been doing some neck stretching which I think has helped. How long
    before you began to feel normal?

    Thanks for all your support, Brad
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #31
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    rmkbrad said:

    You guys are the greatest
    Well they took one drain out yesterday and the other one will probably
    come out today, scheduled to go home tomorrow could have went home
    today but storming over the mountains and didn't want the family to drive
    in a snow storm. Now my main complaint is the swelling and stiffness in my
    neck, I have been doing some neck stretching which I think has helped. How long
    before you began to feel normal?

    Thanks for all your support, Brad

    Brad
    Sorry I cannot help with that matter!I am just happy you are doing so well!
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #32
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    rmkbrad said:

    You guys are the greatest
    Well they took one drain out yesterday and the other one will probably
    come out today, scheduled to go home tomorrow could have went home
    today but storming over the mountains and didn't want the family to drive
    in a snow storm. Now my main complaint is the swelling and stiffness in my
    neck, I have been doing some neck stretching which I think has helped. How long
    before you began to feel normal?

    Thanks for all your support, Brad

    Home
    What a good feeling that is to be going home and then drive thru the mountains. What a blessing.

    New Normal. Well Brad it will only be a New Normal. Everyone recovers differently the same as everyone has different side effects from treatment. Recovery is very slow and if you think it is slow it will at some point feel like it is even slower. Seems like recovery is never fast enough for anyone. The wonder thought is at least your recovering.

    I can only share how long it took to have a New Normal feeling. For me it was some where between 18-24 months for both the surgery, radiation and chemo. Nothing wrong with the New Normal, people do not like change so having a New Normal is change and you just have to accept it and move on. Time to be grateful every day for the opportunity! God's way of fine tuning you to his image.

    15 years later my New Normal includes dealing with neck stretching every day many times a day. Having water with you almost all day long in case you need it. Blowing nose and hacking up phelm. Having problems swallowing while eating. Having to eat with some kind of liquid all the time. Finding foods that are not spicy and swallow easy (very little meet). Dealing with survivorship.

    Looking for a fast recovery to your New Normal!

    John
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #33
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    fisrpotpe said:

    Home
    What a good feeling that is to be going home and then drive thru the mountains. What a blessing.

    New Normal. Well Brad it will only be a New Normal. Everyone recovers differently the same as everyone has different side effects from treatment. Recovery is very slow and if you think it is slow it will at some point feel like it is even slower. Seems like recovery is never fast enough for anyone. The wonder thought is at least your recovering.

    I can only share how long it took to have a New Normal feeling. For me it was some where between 18-24 months for both the surgery, radiation and chemo. Nothing wrong with the New Normal, people do not like change so having a New Normal is change and you just have to accept it and move on. Time to be grateful every day for the opportunity! God's way of fine tuning you to his image.

    15 years later my New Normal includes dealing with neck stretching every day many times a day. Having water with you almost all day long in case you need it. Blowing nose and hacking up phelm. Having problems swallowing while eating. Having to eat with some kind of liquid all the time. Finding foods that are not spicy and swallow easy (very little meet). Dealing with survivorship.

    Looking for a fast recovery to your New Normal!

    John

    daily thought
    just saw this for a daily thought and thought of you and so many out there fighting the fight!

    ‎"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass,
    it's about learning to dance in the rain"
    — Vivian Greene
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #34
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    rozaroo said:

    Brad
    Sorry I cannot help with that matter!I am just happy you are doing so well!

    Did He Just Say NORMAL....LOL
    Brad,

    You are asking the wrong person when you ask us (Skiffin, Roz, Glenna, Dawn, Patty, etc...) about normality....we are of the Abi-Normal Clan...

    We tend to be those that cause people to have a pain in the neck....but hoping your pain starts subsiding very soon.

    Best,
    John
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #35
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    Skiffin16 said:

    Did He Just Say NORMAL....LOL
    Brad,

    You are asking the wrong person when you ask us (Skiffin, Roz, Glenna, Dawn, Patty, etc...) about normality....we are of the Abi-Normal Clan...

    We tend to be those that cause people to have a pain in the neck....but hoping your pain starts subsiding very soon.

    Best,
    John

    Abi-normal
    I was going to object, but then I realized I have no defense. It's true.
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #36
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    fisrpotpe said:

    daily thought
    just saw this for a daily thought and thought of you and so many out there fighting the fight!

    ‎"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass,
    it's about learning to dance in the rain"
    — Vivian Greene

    Love this daily thought!
    Going outside now to dance in the rain for Brad, and Jim (Delnative) and Glenna and for everyone else here who may not be feeling their happy feet today. Hoping for complete healing for all of us here, and celebrating life.

    Deb
  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    #37
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    D Lewis said:

    Love this daily thought!
    Going outside now to dance in the rain for Brad, and Jim (Delnative) and Glenna and for everyone else here who may not be feeling their happy feet today. Hoping for complete healing for all of us here, and celebrating life.

    Deb

    No one is normal after facing cancer. Mark is not normal, I am not normal...nor do I want us to be. I know what Brad is asking regarding "normal" after surgery...functioning. I remember function returning slow at first for Mark, and then wham! He was eating everything. (That was after surgery -chemo and radiation is another story)
    But the normal/abby-normal thing. I like the not normal that I now have. The perspective is grand. I like Mark...not normal. He is visibly changed (radical neck dissection). He is not symmetrical. He has some particulars around eating. And I have not skipped a beat in loving him and being attracted to him. In fact, the life lessons he learned while battling for life has taken a wonderful man and made him AMAZING! No...I don't want normal.
    Brad, let go of normal. Build your physcial body back up. They are two different things.
    Kim :)

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