Originally posted May 29, 2017
Day 7… (Six days post surgery)
✅ Doppler wires were pulled from the neck. This is cool technology, but it is sensitive and delicate. They stapled and sutured that thin plastic to his skin to hold it in place. This is the same technology that allows us to hear a baby’s heartbeat in the womb. In this case, a tiny thin piece of silicone was placed inside the flap to hold tiny wire sensors so that the doctors could listen to the blood flow. This aids a lot in telling the doctor if the surgery was a success or if the flap is failing. The first night in ICU the Doppler volume was all the way up so staff could monitor it easily. I had to request ear plugs to help damper the noise. While in ICU, the flap is checked every hour. Once we were moved to the floor, they checked it every four hours.
✅ The right neck drain and leg drain were removed.
✅ No more pole dancing. Tony finished the last drip of antibiotics yesterday. All meds are being given through the feeding tube or with a shot.
✅ Swallow test shows no leakage, so we know the doctors sewed everything together well and it is healing. The other part of the swallow test was a disappointment for Tony. He was hoping to begin taking some nutrition and hydration by mouth right away, and he struggled. I asked him what it felt like having fluid in there, and he said, “Like I have no control.” He will not take anything by mouth for at least another week while things continue to heal. The speech therapist will work with him tomorrow and show him some more exercises he can do.
We had some visitors stop by today and we all giggled when Tony held up this message. He still has his sense of humor.
#cancerawareness #cancersurvivor
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