Rehabilitation after total glossectomy (complete removal of the tongue) and accompanying PTSD

[bat_hawk]

Setting: modern day

Comments

[orange_fell]

There was a fairly recent post on this subject, hope this is useful: http://little-details.livejournal.com/3401935.html

[bat_hawk]

Ah, thanks! That does help a bit with the mechanics of post-tongue speech. :)

[lilacsigil]

Your character can have a replacement tongue grafted on at a later stage - it doesn't have to be done during the original surgery. If he has access to modern medicine (I'm presuming he does by your therapy questions) he would be encouraged to do so as it will greatly aid his ability to swallow.

[bat_hawk]

Thanks! I wasn't sure if he would want to get that later or if it would be worth the hassle. Good to know!

[bat_hawk]

Well thanks, haha! Tom is such a pretty guy. ;)

[carriewiskers]

I know from years of working in a nursing home that people with strokes had to drink out of a straw. I do not think they cold tilt their had back if their tongue was not working right. I am pretty sure it would make swallowing hard though.

[bat_hawk]

Yeah, I guess you'd have to worry about choking on things if you did that. Thanks for your input!

[resident_pink]

I can't say much about the psychological aspects of PTSD, but I do know (from once having studied to become a speech/language therapist - never graduated) that a person's voice and speech can be very personal. Many people put a lot of their identity into their voice and losing your regular speaking voice can be a difficult emotional trauma, resulting in feelings of not knowing who you are, feeling like a different person etc. Before rehabilitation it can also be extremely frustrating for many not to be able to express yourself clearly, making you feel powerless and vulnerable at the mercy of others. If he has PTSD symptoms from the POW experience as a whole, and is unable to express these in speech, this may affect his psychological rehabilitation (I suppose?). He might need to process those symptoms by writing or drawing or in some other manner. Since the removal of the tongue was traumatic in itself, I could imagine trying to speak/learn to speak again may trigger PTSD symptoms? (Tying in with what you said about the importance of

[bat_hawk]

But very helpful thinking out loud! You brought up some very interesting points to look into. Thanks for your answer!