Hi,
I have not posted in a while, but things are going well. I am not 100% sure if this is the right place to post this. I am very very lucky. My last surgery, after my last post, had clean margins in 8 different locations. Since then I have had 3 reconstruction surgeries. The first was septum repositioning and shaping. The second was nasal reconstruction using cheek tissue, ear cartilage and forehead flap. The third was the flap removal and a small adjustment on one nasal vestibule. That was 48 hours ago.
I am debating when to create the alar lobules. If I wait 3 months I can get a PET scan to verify no new cancer has grown. If I do it next month I believe it will look like a very normal nose. I am going to wait a few weeks and see how I heal.
I am posting here because prior to the surgery I was nervous about pain, what I would look like and recovery. All of this was very manageable. The fact the plastic surgeon could create 2 new nasal cavities, replace all the missing cartilage and cover it with skin is truly amazing. My friends and family are all impressed with how it came out.
Anyone who wants to ask me about the forehead flap surgery please feel free. I am not completely done and yet I would highly recommend it for reconstruction. I realize only those who have had the surgery understand how it feels; pun intended since your nose feels like your forehead for a few weeks.
It is nice to look more normal. I hope to have all bandages off in maybe 2 more weeks. I still think about possible recurrence, but I try to not focus on that every day. I have already had a follow up with a local ENT who is going to do my post reconstruction monitoring.
Thanks,
Greg
Hello Greg , many thanks for sharing this post as it makes positive reading , i had my lower jaw reconstructed with bits pinched from other parts of my body , as you say its a bit of a worry as we tend to overthink. It is amazing how clever these plastic surgeons are with amazing results . Wishing you all the best in your recovery , take care .
Chris .
Its sometimes not easy but its worth it !
Chris,
I read your profile and I have to say I am impressed with your journey, attitude and success. I have a friend who lives in the same town as me who had stage 4 squamous in his jaw. Similar to you lost most of his jaw. Surgery, chemo and radio. He had major reconstruction and is able to eat, but without his 'new' teeth in. He feels uncomfortable eating in public. More importantly he just passed his 5 year scan with no re-occurrence! He feels very lucky :-) Stories like yours and his give me hope I can beat this.
I am curious how your voice technology has worked out? I used to work in high tech and feel that there have been some major improvements in adaptive technologies. In the US Microsoft has a major AD campaign going right now on how all their adaptive technology is being used.
I am recovering well and every day I look in the mirror and can not believe what my surgeon has done. He told me he has a specialty in facial reconstruction.
I decided to share a picture, so you can 'see' what I mean. The upper forehead patch is the remaining skin healing from the forehead flap procedure. It is healing really nice. The over the eyebrow patch is where the pedicle was removed on Tuesday. Looks like a triangle scab right now. The nose patch top is where the pedicle was removed Tuesday. The side patches are where they attached the skin 5 weeks ago and opened it up for thinning the skin on Tuesday.
Thanks,
Greg
Hi Greg , wow what a great recovery photo you look amazing ,what a great advert . Im so pleased your friend has also come through his journey ok and reached the magic 5 years , as you say these stories do help in the encouragement for others who are just starting off .
I cannot speak at all Greg due to nerve and muscle damage from previous operations , even the electro-larynx did not work that well so i just use a text to speech app or good old pen and paper. I am reliant on using a P.E,G as i also cannot eat whole food which does get a bit boring at times .
Where did you have your procedure done Greg and by who ,if you dont mind me asking. All my work was done at East Grinstead (queen Victoria ). Im so pleased that everything is going ok on the reconstruction , thanks for explaining the photo as it makes good reading ,also thanks for showing me the photo i did have some myself but not sure where i filed them 
All the very best with the rest of your recovery , please repost once you feel confident to do so . Take care .
Chris
Its sometimes not easy but its worth it !
