Thanks for the tips. Yes, I have my purple crocs packed! I don't go anywhere without crocs...and didn't think about them evening out the height!

I do know where I can get a small pillow with the beanie stuff in it...for the leg to lay on? How big should it be? We saw some little ones and some neck size/shape...$1 I believe!

I will check with PT coming to the home. Didn't need it before but probably will this time.

I have quite a choice of stuff I can eat going from liquid to soft to regular. LOL I am drinking Ensure totally for now, don't think I had it until I was on radiation AFTER the first surgery so that is a big help. :o) I can do yogurt, pudding, baked fish, all sorts of stuff that I had to go to after the tongue surgery the first time out. Nice to know I will graduate to soft and normal!

Since I have had radiation in the area of stitches the Dr. said he would keep me 10-14 days and I am HOPING he would keep me until the feeding tube (nose) is gone as well as the trach tube. If I have to keep them a long time I will be ok learning to care for them but don't really want to get all the equipment and learn it all to have them for 2 days at home. He agreed...but just depends on how I do. I was eating before the severe swelling from the jaw and lymph node so I think I will be able to go back to drinking/soft foods fairly quickly. I am hoping the same with the trach, once they are sure they don't need to go back in for more surgery they will close it up so I can talk and get it removed before I go home.

I hope to not remember much of the first few days! I really hated the neck dissection the first time - felt like my head was going to fall off when I moved - as the stitches pulled. I am hoping this won't be much worse than that around the neck. I am prepared for the leg to hurt more than anything else...as previous posters had noted. The leg should be straight forward... stay off it until safe, then work into it. I HOPE!

Thanks for the ideas...any others are very appreciated. I will have a netbook computer, books, Nintendo DS and lots of things to keep my busy while I am stuck in bed. They wanted me up more last time but I am hoping I can stay awake better this time, since it is a longer stay. I was home at 5 days last time.

Michele in IL