Hello everyone, I am new to this site, just to introduce myself my name is Ann and I had my mouth cancer operation 6 weeks ago.............its very comforting to know that there is a site like this and that i am not on my own suffering!

Hi Ann,
I can honestly say you are definitely not suffering on your own! There are lots of us in the same boat and I have found this site to be very helpful and informative. There is always someone here to give you words of advice or comfort. I'm a one year survivor and intend to stay around a whole lot longer. What did your op involve Ann? Will you be having rt or chemo or are you lucky enough to have avoided this? Good luck anyway, and keep us posted with how your are doing.
Love Dian x

hello Dian

Had half my tongue removed and flap taken from my left arm (I have to say that was the sore bit!)Glands removed from my neck, so cut from back of left ear across to front of my neck (that healing nice)no RT or Chemo needed, so I am the lucky one, back at The Christie next Tuesday for my 2nd check up so fingers crossed x

Hi Ann,
Pleased that you're healing nicely and that you've not got to go through rt or chemo. I had a horrendous time last year with 3 major ops, rt and chemo but it all seems like a lifetime ago now. It's amazing how our bodies can adapt and heal. Good luck with your next check up.
Dian x

Hi Ann,

Glad you found the site and welcome.

Best wishes

Ken

Hi Ken

Thanks for the welcome, and well done for 1 year on!

Ann x

Hi Ann

I'm glad that everything is going so well for you. I had the same operation as you, with pretty much the same outcome (no rt, no chemo) just over 4 and a half years ago. Can't wait for February--5 YEARS!

Are you talking? I didn't speak for a few weeks post-op (just didn't seem like a good idea with a tongueful of sutures) and probably would have stayed mute for a while longer if my doctor hadn't said "no more of that, young lady" and snatched my clipboard out of my hands just as I started to write a question.

After far too long away, I started going to the dentist last year. He didn't like the fact that I have hair on my flap, and even thought I had something called hairy tongue. When I explained the situation, he seemed to understand, but still wasn't happy with the hair, so he picked up a small pair of scissors and proceeded to give my tongue a hair cut.

I really hope everything continues to go well for you.

Julia :P

Hello Julia

Thankyou for the post, 5 years well done! I can speak ok?, at speech and Language Therapy tomorrow, so may come back speaking French?

Made me laugh about your hair cut, we all have to have some humour, otherwise think it would drive us all mad!

Really pleased I have found this site, nice to know other people are going through same issues.

Love the name by the way, my daughter is called Julia, a twin to her sister Johanne.

Keep in touch!

Ann x

Hi Ann

You're so right--a sense of humor is absolutely essential in situations like this.

I had two separate speech evaluations, but didn't need speech therapy. When I spoke to my brother-in-law for the first time after surgery, he said that I sounded virtually unchanged. I was surprised. My doctor said that I'd probably have a lisp (not unusual because several of my relatives do), but I expected to sound like either Cindy from The Brady Bunch, or Momma from Throw Momma From The Train. I think it helped to have my cat around when I started talking again.

Julia

Julia,

For a funny the woman in Throw Mama From the train actually had tongue cancer too! Never understood why she talked the way she did until I read that recently!

Pam C.

Just watched the trailer of that film lol, I would never had known she had, had cancer of the tongue............brill film Danny Divito is fab xxxxx

well Julia
I am getting a great kick out of your story about the dentist,I finished rt last week feeling a bit worse for wear.I will be laughing for the night, thanks badly needed
Noreen

Hey Noreen!

Glad I could help.

Hi Ann, sorry you have to use the site but welcome. You'll find plenty of support here. Keep us updated. Hagg.

Hi Dian..
Thanks for that it does encourage me, are you back to your normal self eg eating drinking swallowing bone/skin grafts healing ok, sorry for asking such personal questions but every response i get on here i have been relaying them back to my dad so he is aware that other people have had the same done. The reason he is soo scared as my mum died in theatre having an hysterectomy and since then we have lost all faith in hospitals so im sure you an understand our fears. THANKS SO MUCH TO YOU ALL X