Mood:  blue
Topic: The beginning
On 7/29/05, a visit to the ER started a downward spiral of crisis and agony. A 4 cm mass on the base of the tongue which later biopsies showed squamous cell carcinoma stage 4. Luckily, it did not spread anywhere else in the body as I suspected. A radical neck dissection was done on 8/30/05, which went well. A temporary trach and feeding tube was placed.
The feeding tube remains until radiation/chemo completed. He has lost alot of weight- from 220 to 181, but currently weighs 188. He can now eat by mouth, mainly soft foods and meats that are tender. The incision and trach wound have healed nicely without infection. His diabetes was alittle out of control during the hospital stay, but controlled now. We expect to start the radiation within the next 2-3 weeks.