Help!! Need some personal advice (not really medical advice)...

Nurses General Nursing

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Okay, I just need some opinions as to what to do about this situation, besides freak out.

On Tuesday I went in for surgery to have my submadibular gland removed. In January, my allergist felt a nodule/mass right underneath my jaw....and in February, I had a physical from my PCP, mentioned it to her, and she felt it, sent me to a general surgeon. Anyway, he sent me for an ultrasound and a CT scan which showed uptake of dye in my submadibular gland and the report read mass of submandibular gland. So, the general surgeon said I needed to see an ENT. He palpated it, looked at the scans and decided it needed to come out.

On Tuesday I went in for surgery and supposedly had my submandibular gland (and nodule) removed. In PACU, I remember saying to the resident "How did it look? Were you able to get the nodule?". And I remember him saying "No, there was no nodule". Anyway, they made me keep the pressure dressing on until today...so when I took it off, I noticed that the incision was much lower than the doc had said it would be. To top it off, the nodule is STILL there, underneath my jaw!! I'm not quite sure what they heck they did if they didn't take the mass out that THREE other docs palpated and he felt himself!!!! My mom is going to call the MDs office in the AM because I am devistated and every time I think about it, I cry and can barely talk! I cannot believe I went through all of this and he didn't even take it out. He felt it in the office and told me the incision would be right underneath my jaw....well it's halfway down my neck!! I don't understand how this could have happened! I am only 2 days post-op and now I am facing another surgery!!!

Any ideas?????

JS

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Was the area not marked in the pre-op area first? And were you not asked to point it out, as well? Were you asked by the OR team about it when they came to get you and take you to your room?

Something is not adding up.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Call the surgeon 1st thing in the morning, and find out. Be clear about your distress. A face to face w/the surgeon would be even better, but don't wait for your post-op appt.

There is an explanation, and you deserve to hear what happened. Meanwhile, take something for pain, and try to rest tonight. Nothing to do til the morning, OK?

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

premnrs has given you some excellent advice. Anything beyond that is out of the scope of our practice as nurses and as members of a public message board.

Please call your surgeon and/or your PCP bright and early tomorrow morning. They are the only ones who are qualified to advise you properly and treat your condition.

Closing this thread now.

Good luck to you, and please let us know how you're doing.

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