Testimonial: Tongue Cancer Surgery
I cannot thank you all enough for saving my life!! Thank you Thank you so very much!!
My Cancer Story
November 22, 2021 at age 56, I had a biopsy performed at the request of my dentist regarding a small tumor on the left side of my tongue, and one week later the result was a diagnosis of Squamous cell carcinoma on my tongue. I was shocked, how did this happen?
My wife and I immediately started researching the top cancer centers in the west, we live in northern California but were willing to go anywhere if needed. UCLA Head and Neck center in Southern California was one of the top 3 so we called, and luckily two weeks later we met with Dr Maie St John the chief surgeon there. Dr Maie St John reviewed the biopsy results then explained the process and procedures they do for treating and removing this type of cancer, it was much more involved than I ever imagined! I have had several surgeries in the past but nothing like this.
It would be surgery to remove the tumor and some lymph nodes from my neck first, then a free flap from the inside of my right forearm would be surgically placed on the tongue to replace what was being removed and a skin graft from my right thigh would be surgically placed on the forearm replacing the free flap, Wow! I must admit getting diagnosed with cancer then hearing this procedure made me very nervous and scared, but Dr Maie St John and her team calmly assured me this was something they did all the time, it also helped knowing that Dr Maie St John and Dr Keith Blackwell the reconstruction surgeon, were two of the best surgeons in the country if not in the world.
While I was there, she had a patient returning one year later for a follow up after having the exact same diagnosis and procedure. Dr Maie St John asked him if he would be open to talking to me about what he experienced which was what I was about to experience. He agreed, so we met and he told me they did an amazing surgery and he was now cancer free, his tongue graft free flap and arm graft were almost completely healed and that he was back to enjoying his life before cancer. This made me feel much better and confident with my decision to entrust the entire team at UCLA head and Neck center for my cancer treatment.
On Jan 3rd 2022 I went in to UCLA Ronald Reagan hospital and had the surgery, The next day Dr Maie St John came in and told me all went as planned and that they were confident the surgery had removed all the cancer cells from my tongue. My wife and I were so happy to hear this! 6 days later I returned home to continue the healing process and after a couple of months I was eating normally, speaking normally and on my way back to life before my diagnosis. Now almost two years later I am completely healed and after several follow ups and scans I am still cancer free!!
I want to say to Dr Maie St John and her team, Dr Keith Blackwell and his team, the entire staff at the UCLA head and Neck Center as well as all the hospital staff that cared for me before during and after the surgery, I cannot thank you all enough for saving my life!! Thank you Thank you so very much!! To the interns and students learning from the best doctors and nurses to become the best doctors and nurses, all of you are amazing people for doing what you do helping others through very difficult times so they can go on to have a quality of life worth living. God bless you all.
-SK
