to not have this surgery?

[NannymcDeb]

Hi, please bear with me whilst i explain some back story and help me with this!!
In 1998 i was diagnosed and subsequently treated for non-hodgkins lymphoma, chemo and radio therapy.Because of where the tumour was, (thyroid gland) i had to have a tracheostomy, then later (2003) i had to have further surgery to close a hole between my trachea and oesophagus...
Then in 2007 they took my tracheostomy out, but due to radiotherpay and scarring, the area wouldnt heal istelf, the hole wouldnt close, and i needed yet more surgery to close it....
SO, now I have paralysed vochal chords and a narrow airway...
Today I saw a thorasic surgeon who wants to take away the part of my trachea that is narrow and, effectively, sew the other two bits back together.....
Risks (apart from the effing obvious!) include damage to my voice box which would rob me of the (very husky) voice I do have, and the risk of permanent tracheostomy.
I've had enough. I've endured this for 12 years now, I live on Incapacity benefit and DLA,as I cant walk far, and this surgery would, if succesful, change that, although to what extent no-one can say yet (having a broncoscopy in 2 weeks)..
I have 2 kids, my daughter is 14, she was only 17 months when this all started, and I don't know how much more of me going in and out of hospital she could take, never mind if anything where to go wrong...
So AIBU to not have surgery and stay this way? I manage, I cope, hubby does a fair bit, but yes, I do live on benefits that obviously if I had the surgey and it was succesful would stop!
Which, again, isn't a massive problem cos i would love to be able to work..
WWYD?????

oh gosh i don't know whqat i would do

i guess i would start by asking to see some actual statistics from this type of surgery. how likely is it to go "wrong" for example?

if the surgeon has done hundreds and hundreds and only ever had one that's failed then i think i'd probably go for it.

YANBU

It is your decision whether to have it or not and if the cons outweigh the pros then you have made the right decision

I would wait for final test results have all the cards on the table and then decide.
I hope you do what is right for you and what you feel happiest doing. Good luck

Thanks for the replies...
I think part of the problem is that although they have done this before, I am, in a way, unique in that the scarring and lack of tissues in my neck make there less to "play with" if you see what I mean?
Also,my trachea has been badly scarred, thru surgery and radiotherapy, so that makes a huge difference....
I am going to have the broncoscopy, see what they say after that,but tbh the very idea of yet more major surgery, scares the pants off me!

Very long shot, but I read in the paper that scientists have managed to grow a new trachea on some sort of scaffold of donated tissue. I think the patient's own stem cells are then used to build a new trachea that won't be rejected by the body as it's a perfect tissue match.
here

I would leave it if that is what your heart is telling you. Could you reconsider in a couple of years? Sometimes you just need a break from surgery and hospitals and pain.

Is it an option to say no but go back at a later date if you change your mind? That is what I would do.