Oral Cancer – Part Two – The Surgery
Being Preped.
The Markings of the Mad Men
Trach tube RC Jack
WARNING
This next part is going to be showing the actual surgery as taken by some of the Dr’s during the procedure. These are pretty graphic images so all I can say is view at your own risk. For me I have to discuss and show the truth of the matters as they have happened to me.
On Dec 17th at roughly 5:30 a.m. I entered the hospital with my own home grown jaw for the last time. I had good spirits going in and was ready to get the show on the road.
Me before
I think my family were more strung out about the surgery to unfold than I was. I was morbidly curious how I was going to feel coming out of anesthesia. Well maybe I shouldn’t say morbidly but I was damn curious for some odd reason. I think the sedation from a prior tongue biopsy I had done along with the PEG tube procedure gave me more confidence about being put out for so long. That was a main concern just being knocked out for such a long period of time. You would think it would be more in-line with the surgery facts themselves as a concern not the fact I would be asleep.
Family seeing me off.
Last Hugs
Now this next part is going to dive right into the surgery itself. The Dr’s did what I think was a awesome job when you consider the things done vs. how I look near the end or even today roughly a month since. Most everyone who sees these surgery shots think it’s amazing how I look and function in just a short time from being released from the hospital. I have tremendous respect for all the Dr’s involved in helping rid this cancer from me.
OK so here we go. . . prepare eye holes for explosions.
What procedures you will be seeing:
Tracheotomy
Left Selective Neck Dissection Level 1-3
Composite Resection Left Mandible with Lip Split
Doctor Roster that I have had contact with (I’m sure there are many more involved):
Dr. Jonathan Bailey
Dr. Christopher D. Lansford
Dr. Jill Webber
Dr. Danny Cannon
Dr. Blake Kitamura
Insertion of the curly straw with alien landing markings
Forks
Check out the cables holding the face flap back.
Big Pipe
Jaw and my other side of my lower lip up near my eye
A many probes
Bar-B-Q Forks
See my lip up near my eye again. How that came back together true skills.
Jaw construction
Watching a master
See my lip?? I Dont get it either.
The removed parts.
Put back together.
Peanut head.
My head has way to many folds
Next post will contain the recovery experience in the hospital and from home.
Anyone wanting more info feel free to email me.
Yeeeeeeaaaaah! Man adding contrast to those pics makes em look even crazier.
Man… I think they used a bicycle chain in there too!
How did you get them to shoot photos for you in the OR? Amazing!
One of the resident Dr’s did it. I’m sure they do this for there own records but I was emphatic about wanting the images.
I think it is very interesting. I love medical stuff, but I am not sure I could handle seeing my own surgery though. Yes, I agree making the pictures in HDR makes them more intense. So how is you recovery going. What else are they doing where your jaw was. Are you getting some kind of prosthetic? How long before you can eat orally again? Did they get all the cancer? How is you wife handling all of this?
I’m doing well considering what the images show. My jaw is done it’s just a matter of seeing if the new bone there fuses or how it fuses. No prosthetic. I should be able to chew soon. Right now I can eat soft things but I mainly use a feeding PEG tube in my stomach for all that. The pathology around the area of cancer seems to be clean and non was detected so things seem good. Wife handling it find and is fascinated by it as well.
Wow it is different to see what they do in surgery, We as the nurses only see after you get to the floor and closed up with all the drains. Truly amazing. It was a pleasure to take care of you and your family. I am glad you are doing well. Look forward to updates
Your pillow technique was needed so bad. I think I asked for you every day until I left just to figure that out. I never got as comfortable as that pillow thing you did.
Your pillow technique was needed so bad. I think I asked for you every day until I left just to figure that out. I never got as comfortable as that pillow thing you did.
Dude that is the craziest thing I have ever seen! Pictures turned out great. I had no idea the inside looked like this! Amazing that you are alive bud! God is looking out for you my friend! Peace- NickZ.