Every bit of nitty gritty deatils of the surgery was explained to me. With all the fine prints, that I hoped I did not hear too.
There will be a panel of doctors. A head-and-neck oncologist will lead the show, 2 maxilla-facial surgeons, 1 plastic surgeon and specifically for anesthesia.
The procedure would take 6 hours. Start around 1PM in the afternoon on 11March (Monday) and go till 7 or 8 PM in the evening.
Once the anesthesia kicks in, a cut would be made starting the middle of my lower lip, down the chin, up to near the throat, and then taking a left turn and going up along the neck line till the left ear.
At that point, the entire left cheek and neck will be flapped open, so that surgeons have direct access to the areas of operation.
The tumors had not touched the skin or jaw bone, but surgeons need to take 1 cm extra margin around the cancerous zone (which is 2 cm by 1 cm in size), if a few teeth or a portion if jaw comes in the way of margin, that goes. No mercy !! No taking chance. Clinically all the lymph nodes were fine, however, the oncologist does want to take as many lymph nodes as possible. The link for any thing cancerous to travel to rest of the body.
Once it is all cut out, a portion of flesh from my left wrist to be taken out, to be patched in side the cheek, stitched blood vessel to blood vessel in perfect alignment so that it stays and be part of the cheek, than dropping dead in 2 days as a foreign body ! The hole made in the left wrist would then be grafted with a patch of skin scraped from my right thigh.
Now, the process is more complex because the neck region holds most of the nerves that control your eye lids, lips movement, wrist area is also full of critical vessels and nerves.
Amounts really a major procedure. It would all happen when I go to La La land with the Nitrox Oxide gas, a bunch of tubes to sustain me, like catheter , food pipe, oxygen pipe, organ simulators etc. would get attached, and the procedure would being. I would not know any of it... but could still see vividly with the level of description and picturization that was done to me by the panel.
I was advised to be admitted to the hospital a day earlier, however I negotiated the same morning as surgery and they were ok, looking at my health overall which was Pink OK, and spirit which was Peak High !
So got in to the small, private hospital around 9:30AM in the morning. A room was booked. My brother was with me. I was walking around, a junior doctor walked in and asked, "who is the patient ?". I smiled and said, its me. She could not believe.
Some basic stats like weight, height, creating an IV on right hand, starting with anti-biotics etc started. However, the realization did not dawn in, until I was stripped naked, my entire chest and thigh were shaved by a hospital barber and then made to wear a back open hospital gown.
That's when it sunk in ! Its about to start. By this time, I am very comfortable with the sisters and doctors around. Having nice small chats with them.
The panel arrived around 12:30P, and I was wheeled in to the OT. Saw the entire panel of surgeons together for the first time inside the OT. All are having small chats. I remember the gas mask getting ready to knock me out. My last few words before I lost my sense were - "You guys are the best in your fields. However, advanced congratulations to you because you will all see your best work this evening". I heard the chuckle at the spirit :) And that was the last bit I remember !!!
There will be a panel of doctors. A head-and-neck oncologist will lead the show, 2 maxilla-facial surgeons, 1 plastic surgeon and specifically for anesthesia.
The procedure would take 6 hours. Start around 1PM in the afternoon on 11March (Monday) and go till 7 or 8 PM in the evening.
Once the anesthesia kicks in, a cut would be made starting the middle of my lower lip, down the chin, up to near the throat, and then taking a left turn and going up along the neck line till the left ear.
At that point, the entire left cheek and neck will be flapped open, so that surgeons have direct access to the areas of operation.
The tumors had not touched the skin or jaw bone, but surgeons need to take 1 cm extra margin around the cancerous zone (which is 2 cm by 1 cm in size), if a few teeth or a portion if jaw comes in the way of margin, that goes. No mercy !! No taking chance. Clinically all the lymph nodes were fine, however, the oncologist does want to take as many lymph nodes as possible. The link for any thing cancerous to travel to rest of the body.
Once it is all cut out, a portion of flesh from my left wrist to be taken out, to be patched in side the cheek, stitched blood vessel to blood vessel in perfect alignment so that it stays and be part of the cheek, than dropping dead in 2 days as a foreign body ! The hole made in the left wrist would then be grafted with a patch of skin scraped from my right thigh.
Now, the process is more complex because the neck region holds most of the nerves that control your eye lids, lips movement, wrist area is also full of critical vessels and nerves.
Amounts really a major procedure. It would all happen when I go to La La land with the Nitrox Oxide gas, a bunch of tubes to sustain me, like catheter , food pipe, oxygen pipe, organ simulators etc. would get attached, and the procedure would being. I would not know any of it... but could still see vividly with the level of description and picturization that was done to me by the panel.
I was advised to be admitted to the hospital a day earlier, however I negotiated the same morning as surgery and they were ok, looking at my health overall which was Pink OK, and spirit which was Peak High !
So got in to the small, private hospital around 9:30AM in the morning. A room was booked. My brother was with me. I was walking around, a junior doctor walked in and asked, "who is the patient ?". I smiled and said, its me. She could not believe.
Some basic stats like weight, height, creating an IV on right hand, starting with anti-biotics etc started. However, the realization did not dawn in, until I was stripped naked, my entire chest and thigh were shaved by a hospital barber and then made to wear a back open hospital gown.
That's when it sunk in ! Its about to start. By this time, I am very comfortable with the sisters and doctors around. Having nice small chats with them.
The panel arrived around 12:30P, and I was wheeled in to the OT. Saw the entire panel of surgeons together for the first time inside the OT. All are having small chats. I remember the gas mask getting ready to knock me out. My last few words before I lost my sense were - "You guys are the best in your fields. However, advanced congratulations to you because you will all see your best work this evening". I heard the chuckle at the spirit :) And that was the last bit I remember !!!
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