putting off surgery by 2 weeks?

huskyflake
huskyflake Member Posts: 3
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband was recently diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma on his tongue. He just had the neck dissection and is healing nicely. Originally the doc wanted to do surgery on his tongue one week later. My husband would like a few days to eat normal foods and enjoy the pain relief that his recent surgery brings. Next available surgery date is 2 weeks later than doc's first recommendation. The tongue mass is supposed to be slow-growing. Anyone have experience making this sort of decision? Advice? Thank you!

Comments

  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #2
    putting it off
    Based on my own experience, I wouldn't think it would be a big deal to put it off for a couple of weeks (I was diagnosed on the last day of August and did not have the surgery until the middle of October). On the other hand, when my docs said to jump, I asked how high and I am doing quite well.

    Best wishes to hub and his family.

    I hope the decision is a good one.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Can't Advice
    For myself having been diagnosed with STGIII SCC HPV+ Tonsil Cancer I wanted to start as soon as I could to attack the cancer.

    Knowing what I know now from my personal experience, I would do the same...especially concerning a few extra days of feeling good and being able to eat a little.

    My main reasoning on this is that in the long run more than likely he's not going to have that ability for several weeks so in the big picture, those few days don't matter as much as getting a jump on treatment and being done with it as soon as possible.

    Just my two cents, everyone is different and look at things differently.

    Welcome to the forum though, great people here you'll find. Along with tons of experience, knowledge and helpful sharing people....

    Best,
    John
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #4
    Same as John
    Welcome to the forum. I felt the same as John, 'let's get this party started' or something along those lines. It's a personal choice, but for myself, I couldn't think of a good reason not to begin treatment as soon as possible. Cheers.

    Jimbo
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #5
    About 4 and 4
    Doug put the surgery off a good 4 weeks, by putting off the final consult with the ENT, as his father was dying of emphysema. After the surgery, he stretched the date to begin chemo/rad by a few weeks, as he had a hockey championship to win at the end of September. That's not necessarily advice - when he put off the ENT appointment, they suspected cancer but hadn't confirmed and when he put off treatment, we already knew the ENT go the tonsil out with good margins and that it was HPV (STGIV SCC HPV+ Tonsil Cancer). Even though it had spread to 1 and possibly more lymph nodes, the ENT was not concerned about a few more weeks.

    Had he been having trouble eating before the dissection? There's a lot to be said for laying in stores to help weather the next storm, if it's OK with the doctor.
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #6
    Not willing
    welcome to a wonderful place to get experience, information and support

    we all would like you to know the support will be there no matter what your husband decides to do. For me it's about positive mental attitude and maintaining it all the time.

    i was not willing to put anything off, the faster the better for me. For many years I kept hearing the earlier it is found the better chance of kicking it's arse. I believe that today. to me pain was pain, the faster you get started the faster it goes away.

    good luck with your choice and prayers will be sent out for wisdom.

    John
  • huskyflake
    huskyflake Member Posts: 3
    #7
    fisrpotpe said:

    Not willing
    welcome to a wonderful place to get experience, information and support

    we all would like you to know the support will be there no matter what your husband decides to do. For me it's about positive mental attitude and maintaining it all the time.

    i was not willing to put anything off, the faster the better for me. For many years I kept hearing the earlier it is found the better chance of kicking it's arse. I believe that today. to me pain was pain, the faster you get started the faster it goes away.

    good luck with your choice and prayers will be sent out for wisdom.

    John

    Thanks for the support!
    Thank you all for the warm welcome and quick responses. The doc weighed in and said he thought we should stick with the original date, so it looks like that is the plan. Planning for a strong, rapid recovery!
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #8
    Jimbo55 said:

    Same as John
    Welcome to the forum. I felt the same as John, 'let's get this party started' or something along those lines. It's a personal choice, but for myself, I couldn't think of a good reason not to begin treatment as soon as possible. Cheers.

    Jimbo

    Waiting game

    I too did not want to wait as all it would do it get worse, I figured the sooner I started the sooner it would be over.

    Hondo

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