Hello, my brother Ted Waltman who sent you an intro of himself is having a surgical consult to talk to the doctortomorrow morning about surgically removing a lump. My husband and myself will be taking him to it. I want to ask concise and intelligent questions. I have in mind what to ask, maybe someone can tell me what not to forget to ask. Ted is staying so hopped up on Lorazipam, that his wife, long story there, wants me to take notes and ask the right things. Hospice will be brought in shortly after this, too. I don't imagine a "throat dissection"will be a 2 or 3 or 4 inch cut, will it?! Will they keep cutting, like with Paul?(I read his story, which brought me shaking and in tears to this sight)If anyone answers this tonight, please be bruttally candid with me. I'm not sure surgery is the best thing, last ditch effort or not! Bless all of your baby hearts! Pam, a sister

Hi Pam

Has the doc said whether it's going to be a modified neck dissection or a radical neck dissection? I had a modified neck dissection in 2005 and the scar runs from just below my left ear to nearly midline on my throat--the resulting scar is about 6 inches long, but looks more like a natural neck fold than like a scar. "Modified" in this case meant that only the lymph nodes and immediately surrounding adipose tissue were removed to see if the cancer in my tongue had spread. It hadn't!

I'm sure that any of the incredibly helpful people on this site who've had radical dissections could give you more insight into that procedure.

I hope everything goes well. Please keep us posted.

Julia

Robin had a bilateral radical neck dissection.He was cut from ear to ear and when he came back from surgery he had 53 staples in his neck,and two plastic drains.The drains were removed the next day and he was home in 48 hours.He was off work for two weeks and the scar hardly showed after 3 months,as it was in the fold of his neck.to be honest the neck dissection was a breeze for him compared to the radiotherapy

Hi Pam

I'm afraid that I can't be an awful lot of help except to suggest taking a digital voice recorder in to the meeting with you. With all the best will in the world you won't remember all of what is said and a recording will help. I kept a diary of everything that I went through and things that people said to me.

I hope this helps you a bit.

All the best

Ray

Hi! Sister,
I had Modified Radical Neck Dissection after finding a lump in my throat in May 2007, the lump proved to be cancerous by Secondary, then I had the Dissection and they found 3 more Cancerous Lymph Nodes. Read my Post as what you brother is having sounds similar to mine.
Stay Strong and keep in touch as there are some fabulous people on line.
Trev

Hello Sister

Please see: Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Your Cancer.

You may also find some advice in related past discussions.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes
Vinod

Hello Pam
I may be too late to be of any assistance I think. I hope you managed to get all of the info you needed from Ted's consult.
Of all of the procedures etc that Trevor has had I can honestly say the lead up to his neck dissection was by far the worst. We were so frightened having been told in no uncertain terms of the possible outcomes. It was absolutely horrid. We couldn't bear to be parted and I actually slept in his hospital bed the night before surgery (what lovely nurses!). Somehow we both managed not to break down before he went into theatre but I don't know how. As soon as he was out of sight through those doors I let loose! What a mess I was and God! what a sight I must have been. As it turned out, I was catching the train home and had about three blocks to walk through the city to get to the station. I howled and blubbed all the way. I have wondered since why someone, anyone didn't bother to just touch me or ask if I was OK. Never mind, such is the way of the human! (I only have to realise how I must have looked to understand, really. That day I felt as though my chest was going to explode)
It was such a long day and when he wasn't back in the ward at a reasonable time I just knew something had gone wrong and headed into the hospital to wait it out. I hadn't been there all that long when his bed was wheeled down the corridor. It took all of my strength to wait til it reached us and then I nearly collapsed from relief when I saw him. He was sitting up and alert, his head was where it should be, he could move all the bits we were afraid he wouldn't be able to and could tell me he loved me and squeeze my hand. Ahhhhhhhh.
We couldn't believe there were only two cuts and a couple of drains! Why had we been so worried and upset! He was better in no time and home again. As you have already heard, the scars are virtually impossible to see (that's how I console myself about my wrinkly neck. If I have to have this op, at least I won't have a scar and the surgeon will have a good selection of possible incision sites!)
A long way to tell you that this road is full of peaks and troughs and somehow we get through them all. Sometimes the load seems just a tad too heavy but others you sail through. It isn't easy but I hope you are all able to take it step at a time. That is, afterall, all you can do and you will find that you tend to fall into step with the rhythmn of this journey.
I wish you all well and encourage you to seek support here on the forum. The time difference puts a bit of a lag on things but the support and answers will come.
Thinking of you all from Down Under
Deborah