HI Everyone, I found this wonderful forum yesterday and have introduced myself in the introductions thread.

I have to go in for surgery in 2 weeks to remove the cancer from my tongue and will also have a 'flap' (sorry, its a new term to me and still sounds odd). My surgeon has advised me that I'll need to be in hospital for about a week after surgery and i wondered how realistic this is? I'd be grateful to learn about your experiences and how long you had to stay in.

Thanks
S

Hi S
I was treated at a university hospital by one of the best otolaryngology teams in the US, and I think that made all the difference.

When my parents and I went in for my biopsy, we were told that I'd be inpatient for 10 days to 2 weeks. I went home a week after surgery. My only disappointment was the trach and NG tube weren't removed before I went home. But a week's stay is completely realistic.

My flap was made from my right forearm; my doctor thought I was left handed. The plan of attack had included covering the wound on my arm with tissue from my leg. That proved unnecessary because there's enough of me to sew
together. "You're a thick lady" was how the doctor put it. No one had told the nurses that the plan had changed; they ignored my arm but insisted on looking at my leg.

You might want to lay in a supply of legal pads and pens, or at least a dry erase board for communication. I wasn't told NOT to talk, it just didn't seem like a good idea. Writing, though, was a bit of a problem because I had a bandage on my right arm from wrist to elbow, and my left was hooked up to an IV. The only real problem was nerve pain in my right arm after I'd written just a little; it felt like a starburst. Until recently, I also experienced an odd sensation in my right arm that felt like a large, cold, wet coin had been put there. Nerves are strange.

I hope I've helped at least a little.

Julia

Thanks Julia. I wondered whether the surgeon was giving me a best case scenario, but a week does seem to be realistic - i'm very much spurred on by this.

thank you.
S