The surgery will be 7 hours long and consists of removing both tumors, the front one the conventional way and the one at the base of the tongue using robotics. They will also be doing a radical neck dissection on the left side of my neck to remove and test those lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread on that side. (That means I'll have scars on both sides of my neck. Whoohoo.) There will be a hospital stay of anywhere from 3 days to a week, with another 5-7 days recovering at home. Then, 2-3 weeks after that, I have another round of chemotherapy. The chemo treatments will be 6-8 weeks.
This is the plan that was chosen from the three that were presented. The other options were 1) the same surgery as above, but with 2 to 3 weeks of chemotherapy beforehand. 2)total removal of the tongue and then going through chemotherapy.
Yes, you read that right. Total removal of the tongue was actually presented as an option. According to Dr. Blanco, there was quite a discussion in the tumor board on Wednesday about this. Apparently there were people there who felt that my tongue should just be considered a 'diseased organ' not worth saving and it should just be removed now to prevent any further spreading or recurrences. I think we should explore any and all options that can save as much of my tongue as possible before we even consider taking it all out. Fortunately, Dr. Blanco and Dr. Williams feel the same way I do, so we are going to do what we can to keep as much of my tongue as we can.
So, that's where we are. Is it maddening? Yes. Is it frustrating? Definitely. Do I want to beat my head against the wall sometimes? You bet. Does it make me want to throw in the towel and cower in terror at the big, bad cancer. NO, NO, NO, NO and HELL NO. I have invested too much time in this fight to just give up now. I was told once, a long time ago, that a person's character is not defined by the tragedies in their life. Their character is defined by how they handle the tragedies when they are given to them. I know that I downplay who I am sometimes, but I do know that my character has been forged in the fires of my past crisis' and it is too strong to quit. Besides, all I have to do is remember what I tell Emily and Lilli when they tell me they can't do something. I tell them that the man who says he can and the man who says he can't are both right. It is your mindset and your attitude that determines which man you are. I prefer to be someone who says he can.
Do, or do not. There is no try. ~Yoda
3 comments:
You certainly do not deserve this! And I admire your willingness to go through all of this. Maybe I mean fortitude because I know nobody goes "willingly". I wish there were words to tell you how very sorry I am that you have to go through it all again. You are far more courageous than I would be.
I wish it would just be gone but, as my mom used to tell me, "if wishes were horses, then beggers would ride". Just know that the entire family will be praying for you throughout the whole ordeal & we all admire you immensely.
Yoda IS the wisest of all the Jedi. The force is strong with you, Ken, and I know you will battle and defeat the power of the dark side.
Love ya,
Dani, Kevin & the kiddos
Ken, Our prayers are with you here in Kentucky and hope you are better soon.
Jim Bennett
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