update on mom .. tonsillectomy monday

bpell0402
bpell0402 Member Posts: 61
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Just wanted to post a small update.

Mom is officially going for a tonsillectomy on monday. They feel this is most likely the primary and want to find it. On scope her right tonsil is visibly bigger than the left and feels nodular... mom has been scoped at least 12 times.. no one has mentioned this! first time it was on the screen that i could see it too and hello captain obvious! hope its there..

we are told its pretty painful in adults ( i know many of you have endured much worse surgeries!) hopefully liquid codeine + ice cream will do the trick!

mom is bad with anesthesia.. but we are told the procedure is only 45 min ... her surgery for the lymph node was 3 1/2 hours.

she will then start radiation and will probably need chemo if the primary is in the tonsills.

thank you all for your support and advice

Comments

  • mswijiknyc
    mswijiknyc Member Posts: 421
    #2
    much love and happy thoughts
    any H&N surgery sucks, hun. Sending loves your way :)
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #3
    Buck Up
    Be ready - tonsillectomy is bad for many adults. Honestly, my tonsillectomy caused me more pain and fear in the days after the surgery than my neck dissection in the days after that surgery (I had the tonsillectomy a little over a year before the dissection). After the tonsillectomy (I had open biopsies at the same time), I took my pain meds on schedule (even setting an alarm in case I happened to fall asleep). I used a kitchen timer to boost my fluid intake (pour the water, set the time - water must be gone when timer goes off). I did this because you HAVE to get the fluids in, and I kept losing track.

    DON'T look for guidance on the internet unless you have your grain of salt ready - I stumbled across a tonsillectomy support site, and those folks gave me a couple of scares. I ended up being in dread fear of a complication that (I discovered later) is rare.

    I must say - I was dismayed (and by dismayed, I mean I want you all to think of me as a brave, stalwart soul - the truth is I was horrified and frightened) by the swelling of my uvula. It got HUGE - felt like it was choking me.

    Docs did give me a disposable ice pack that was fitted for necks - that was a big help. If you don't have anything like that, frozen peas or corn do well. Good luck.
  • rush1958
    rush1958 Member Posts: 223 Member
    #4
    Tonsil's
    Best of luck on your mom's tonsillectomy.

    I had surgery, chemo and radiation in my treatment, but the tonsillectomy was worse than any of the other things they did. If you're going to have your tonsils out, do it as a kid!

    By the way..... I'd always heard that ice cream would help after having your tonsil's removed.... it's a myth.... Stick with the codeine!
  • ljoy
    ljoy Member Posts: 94
    #5
    Tonsil Surgery
    Same story. Could not locate primary after scope of throat and mouth. Went to M.D. Anderson and found it in right tonsil. My tonsil surgery was a breeze compared to the rest of the treatment. Try to keep her positive that they found the primary and hope the surgery goes well. As you will always hear on this site everybody is differnt.
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #6
    It's a good opportunity
    to check out various liquid forms of food. Experiment with milkshake and smoothie recipes - anything that does not bother her sore throat 5 days or so after her operation will likely not bother it during radiation. I wish we'd done more of that, rather than pushing towards getting back to a "normal" diet, since normal went out the window after the radiation soreness started.

    I'm hoping the tonsil does turn out to be the primary and they get it with a clean margin - it is indeed a relief to know it's been found and removed.
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #7
    rush1958 said:

    Tonsil's
    Best of luck on your mom's tonsillectomy.

    I had surgery, chemo and radiation in my treatment, but the tonsillectomy was worse than any of the other things they did. If you're going to have your tonsils out, do it as a kid!

    By the way..... I'd always heard that ice cream would help after having your tonsil's removed.... it's a myth.... Stick with the codeine!

    Hah
    Rush is definately right on the money. Skip the ice cream - it fosters mucus - codeine's a much better bet.

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