Lay Man's Terms

Well, I've been saying that I would explain what actually happened to Bryce in lay man's terms.  Because some people didn't realize the magnitude of his surgery.  Then there's me who thought it was going to be WAY worse.  Either way, I think he looks wonderful!!!!  So here we go.....

When they started the surgery, the head & neck surgeon opened him up, she went along the scar on the neck a little bit.  But she also made a hole at the base of his neck that went towards the chest.  We thought it would be the size of a hand.  Nope..... half the size of my palm is IT!

Phase 2:  Get cancer out.  See previous post Here's the Deal for the details on that.  They removed the thyroid.  I know I told you all that news.  Did I mention that there are 4 parathyroid glands too?  She actually put one of those back in.

Phase 3:  Enter the plastic surgeons!!!  They made an incision down the right pectoral muscle towards his side.  They took the pec muscle and flipped it up inside of his body to lay inside of his neck where the hole was left the from head & neck team.

Phase 4:  This creates loose skin on the pec now.  So they took skin from the pec for the skin graft for his neck.  

Phase 5:  Put in drains & stitch him up.  He has 2 drains in the same site just below his right arm pit.  And they stitched his pec back up.  The stitches in the neck are around the graft and a little bit on each side going along the old scar.  And they put one drain in the neck.

Yeah..... he feels like he's been hit by a bus.  But the pain does get better every day.  He gets up & moving around for longer every day too.  On the other hand, he hates the drains.  HATES!  With a passion that burns like a thousand suns.  He hates them.  I think he'll feel WAY better once those are gone.  I'm going to start petitioning for that tomorrow.

For now, he's on TONS of calcium & various things while the parathyroid tries to kick back into gear.  He'll go in for bloodwork so that they can adjust levels of his intake.  That's when the petition will start.

I'm going to go for now.  Again..... the love & support is truly amazing!!!!  We've had wonderful visitors.  My Austin BFF, Leslye, is here right now making us dinner.  I put her to work tearing our my microwave that was busted.  Then neighbor, Jennie from the Block, pops in and says "Uh Uh.... I'm sending my dad."  So in walks Poppy to remove my microwave THEN HAND US THEIRS!!!!!!  WHAT?!??!!!!!  We have such good friends!!!!!  I love you ALL!!!!!  Keep the prayers coming!  Keep praying that he'll BStrong through this!!!

Pray! Fight!! Win!!!

BStrong

Jess