2 posts shown.
Angela Wright said:There's an association for people who have had a laryngectomy; they’re really active and offer great support. You should definitely reach out to them—they'll give you firsthand advice and information.http://www.larynx-hr.org/
Thanks for the info.
We reached out to the association, and they said they can help, but only starting in early September. If he doesn't learn how to swallow by then, they might have to perform a total laryngectomy.
I was actually thinking more along the lines of specific exercises or maybe some guidance at the hospital, since he really needs to overcome this and somehow retrain his swallowing reflex.
Hello everyone,
My father was diagnosed with a malignant supraglottic tumor in mid-May, and it was surgically removed in early June. The surgeon didn't initially realize the full extent of the issue, so they ended up performing a partial laryngectomy—hopefully, it went well.
He’s scheduled for follow-up oncology appointments in mid-July, starting with a neck CT scan followed by chemoradiotherapy.
Before the surgery, he had all his tests done; at 63 years old, everything looked fine except for the larynx.
The issue is that even a month after the operation, he can barely swallow anything. He can taste some food, but liquids are impossible.
They removed his feeding tube this past Friday, so he likely got dehydrated, and then he developed a fever yesterday.
If anyone has dealt with something similar or knows how to help someone relearn how to swallow, please reach out.
Thanks!