Surgery is done

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Tonita
Tonita Member Posts: 197 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Five hours.  Came through ok but now I can't swallow well, feels like my tongue is shorter.  It's swollen for sure.  That's the only thing holding me back from leaving the hospital - my ability to swallow and eat.  I've had a little juice and water with a spoon.  Please tell me this gets better.

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  • Grandmax4
    Grandmax4 Member Posts: 723
    #2
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    Its going to take time~~

    First of all, all the best to you and so happy the surgery is over. Now, comes the time to listen to your team, try to do all they ask. Swallowing, you never think of it, when you're well and whole..but, now it becomes a huge issue. I was in the hospital for 11 days after di vinci robotic surgery to remove a cancerous tumor on my epiglottis. I tried to swallow, even just an ice chip, but, it wasn't working. I left the hospital with a feeding tube and started 2x a week swallowing/speech therepy. After learning how I needed to swallow, and doing the exercises to strenghten my vocal cords..I still was on a pureed diet for almost a year.Long story short, today 4 years ,4 months after , I can eat everything and speak in a clear, loud voice.

    I guess I'm just trying to tell you, allow yourself to heal, exercise and practice, don't ever give up, or think you're alone. In one way or another, we've all walked this road.

    Best to you, be strong..you'll get through this

  • swopoe
    swopoe Member Posts: 492
    #3
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    It will get better. My

    It will get better. My husband had tongue surgery to remove a tumor on his tongue. He was only able to drink liquids at first...just a few sips here and there. But then he moved on to soups and smoothies for about 2 weeks. He blended everything. His ENT said a good food to have was a smoothie made of strawberries, bananas and chocolate ice cream. It will totally get better. 3 and a half weeks after his tongue surgery, we went on a cruise with the ENT's blessing (it had been planned forever), and by then, my husband was eating almost anything except crunchy foods. So, yes, it is rough now, but things will get better.  And the swelling will go down too. Promise. Hang in there. I am sending you good thoughts and prayers. Please let me know if you need anything.

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #4
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    Just one day at a time.

    It all takes time, and it is not messured in days but weeks, and some in months. Remember this is major stuff, and going to recover slow. My surgery was 8 hours and my doctor never left. Other doctors cane and did what there part was and left, but my doctor was the head guy and was there the entire time. I was in the hospital 9 days before I could leave, and they never touched my tounge. Just my larynx.

    Bill

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #5
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    it gets better

    Tonita,

    It gets better!

    Then you start treatments and it may get worse, but it gets better.

    Sometimes it gets hard to swallow, but it gets better.

    Once in a while you can get a sore on your mouth, but it gets better

    For most of us, taste takes a vacation, but it gets better.

    Being tired is par for the course, but it gets better.

    Cancer is scary and confusing in the beginning, but it gets better.

    “new normal” is alright and getting better

    Been there,

    Matt

  • Barbaraek
    Barbaraek Member Posts: 626
    #6
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    You made it over the first hurdle

    I wish I could say it's the only one, but there are more in front of you. But you've shown that you can make it over the hurdle, so you'll manage the rest. It can be a long race, so pace yourself...it will be worth it in the end! We're your cheering section and we can attest that it does indeed get better. Prayers for you Tonita!

    Barbara

  • MrsBD
    MrsBD Member Posts: 615 Member
    #7
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    Surgery

    Yay! Check off part one! Any time you have surgery, you can expect to be stiff, sore, swollen for a while. A little juice and water is a good  start, and like everyone else has said, "It gets better!" 

  • Tonita
    Tonita Member Posts: 197 Member
    #8
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    One of the problems is that I

    One of the problems is that I can't "sip".  To get water down or any liquid, I have to use a spoon and put it more on the back of what's left of my tongue.  I'm just having a hard time these last few days after surgery.  I hope it gets better.

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    #9
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    It gets better

    What Matt said

    As for the swallowing, they didn't give you a feeding tube so more than likely it will get better quickly.

          Jeff

  • LiseA
    LiseA Member Posts: 266
    #10
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    Duggie88 said:

    It gets better

    What Matt said

    As for the swallowing, they didn't give you a feeding tube so more than likely it will get better quickly.

          Jeff

    My surgery is coming up. In

    My surgery is coming up. In some ways, I sure wish it had happened a month earlier so I could be on the road to getting better.

    Hope every day you'll see things getting better, even if it's very slowly doing so.

    How long was your hospital stay?

     

     

     

  • Tonita
    Tonita Member Posts: 197 Member
    #11
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    I was in the hospital five

    I was in the hospital five days.

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