Hi Tony,
Good to see you have a great team of people looking after you. This information is already of great use to Mary (rugrat) posting for her sister in the same State and town as you.
I have done a lot of research and have seen photo�s of what my wrist and mouth should look like..which neither do. There is still a lot of scar tissue between the flap and tongue. Tongue stings most of the time. On my last visit (6 monthly now) was told it was leukoplakia but I am not convinced. Due to unrelated major surgery this time last year I have given it a break. Spoke to my dentist a couple of weeks ago for referral to the oral surgeon who did the orginal biopsy as I now need to get it checked.
Again and again you will read here that everyone is different. My overall recovery was good and I was lucky that I could ease myself back in to work at around 6 weeks. First weeks 50/50 in office and working from home. At any social/work occasion I was listed as special diet for quite a while and had mostly mush but got served first wink
No one can advise you how to live your future life but the questions you asked in your last statement were the same thoughts I had and now doubt others. For me a lot of it was determined by finances and being there for aging (glad they don�t read this ..they would be insulted) parents.
Wishing you the same as my friend Helen.
Gabriele


History Leukoplakia bx 8/2006 SCC floor mouth T3N0M0- Verrucous Carcinoma.
14 hour 0p SCC-Right ND/excision/marginal mandibulectomy 9/2006, 4 teeth removed, flap from wrist, trach-ng 6 days- no chemo/rad.
6 ops and debulking (flap/tongue join) + bx's 2006-2012.
bx Jan 2012 Hyperkeratosis-Epithelial Dysplasia
24cm GIST tumour removed 8/2013. Indefinite Oral Chemo.

1/31/16 passed away peacefully surrounded by family