So the insurance approved the Restylane injections
for my lips. That was fast! (for a change)
I go tomorrow (8/29) to have that done.
Dr. Mehta will do it there in his office.
Wonder what that will feel like?
Anybody know?
Anyway, afterwords, I should look exactly like Angelina Jolie.
Just kidding. ;-)
I start the chemo (Rituxan) next Wednesday (9/03)
This round of chemo will be one day a week, for four weeks.
Ding! Ding! Ding!

Fine tuning stuff....

No leak! It's all healed, yay!
For the 1st month or so, after the face operation,
I could easily make B, P, M, sounds. Plus I could close my mouth,
bring my bottom lip, to my upper lip, easily.
I was overjoyed with that!
But now I can't do that. ;-( The swelling has totally dissipated.
Now I can't make certain sounds, or close my bottom lip.
Bummer.
So, the plan is Restalyne (sp) injections, to plump up my lips, to restore a little of the swelling to that area. These injections would be similar to Botox. We are waiting on the almighty (coff coff) insurance to approve the Restalyne.
I just heard from my oncologist, Dr. Zu, that I am due for more Rituxan (chemo) this month. ugh! I thought I was done with that ;-( I haven't had any chemo since march! Oh well, bring it on!
In other news, the bike is done! Geo took saturday off and we hit highway 101 and put about 200 miles on it.

WATER WORKS...

As far as the leak goes, I think its healed. Dr. Mehta has had me taking a medication to decrease my saliva output. Today is my last day taking that med. So, has the gland it healed? Or has the leak stopped due to the med? I guess I will find out when 'I turn the water back on.' Stay tuned....

The leak....

The left side of my cheek, at the incision site has been leaking.
I saw Dr. Mehta 2 weeks ago, and he told me it was normal and part of healing,
and that it would heal..
Well it hasn't stopped. It leaks more now than it did 2 weeks ago.
It really leaks when I eat. I tape a 2"x 2" gauze bandage over the area before I eat,
within 30 minutes, that bandage is saturated. Obviously, something is wrong,
Dr. Mehta's words:

"I now strongly suspect that the drainage is a saliva leak. If it was related to routine wound drainage, it should have resolved by now. There is a salivary gland duct that runs close to that area and it appears to be leaking unfortunately. I am glad to hear that you have no fevers. However, I would like to see you to start some treatment to decrease the drainage. There is a medication I would like to prescribe to decrease salivary flow and also to put on a pressure dressing on that site. These conservative measures often allow the leak to heal. The next steps beyond that would be injection of Botox into the left parotid gland and beyond that would be a minor surgical exploration of the wound - hopefully we don't have to get to either of those (esp as they require insurance approval). Can you come in to see me this week?"

So. tmw I am off to see him. I knew something was wrong ;-(
Oh well, no worries,
I have all the faith in the world that he will fix it.

What? Where? Who?

What:
Bilateral Temporalis Muscle Transplant,
aka T-Flap surgery. Both sides.
Dr. Mehta's words :
“ The incision will start in the hair, right above the temple, and come down to the earlobe, on both sides.
There will also be an incision in the nasolabial fold (lip cheek crease) on both sides.
The chewing muscle at the temple on each side,is stretched and attatched to the muscles at the corner of the mouth. We always OVERCORRECT quite a bit – that means that the corner of the mouth will look very pulled up on each side. This is normal and will relax over time.
The t-flap will act as a sling, holding and supporting the muscles of the face upward. In 2 or 3 weeks, you will start pyhsical therapy, to learn to use the tranferred muscle, and create a moving smile by clenching your teeth.”
Where:
The Thornton Hospital
La Jolla,
CA
Who:
Dr. Ritvik P. Mehta, M.D.
Otolaryngology
Head & Neck Surgery,
University of California, San Diego (U.C.S.D.)
9350 Campus Point Dr.
La Jolla, CA (619) 543-5910

After the Con....

Its always so bittersweet after the con! It goes by too fast, but its so great to see everybody! Lots of familiar faces and a few new ones too.
You can see some of my photos here: http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=229127698/a=132105675/t_=132105675
Tmw I go into the hospital for the T-Flap surgery, for my face. It sould only be a 1 night stay, maybe 2. Wish me luck!

EYE APPT.

Today was my appt. with Dr. Gualtierri. It went great!
He is going to implant the gold wieght next friday.
YAY! Things are looking up!