I've become sort of addicted to Christine's milkshakes so that seven months after treatment I'm putting on too much weight! They got me through the tough times and the dietician at the hospital said I was a legend for losing only a few kilos during surgery and radiation.

I've had the forearm free flap twice, once on my tongue and four years later for my cheek and gum. The tongue op was bigger and I have to admit that the first 8 days were hard. After Day 8 my progress was rapid and after both surgeries I was going for long walks again after two or three weeks. I am one of those people who have bad hallucinations with morphine so for my 2nd big op I was better prepared and had Fentanyl instead. It made a big difference.

The donor and graft sites heal up well and while that might take several weeks it doesn't affect daily living.

It would pay to ask about tracheotomies before you have the surgery and read up on them. I went into my first surgery in a state of ignorance and got used to the trache just before it was removed.

Hope you get your date for surgery soon.

Cheers
Maureen

1996, ovarian cancer surgery + cisplatin and taxol.
September, 2007, SCC of left lateral tongue. Excision.
October, 2009 recurrence in scar tissue, T1NOMO. Free flap surgery from left wrist - neck dissection. 63 year old New Zealander. No chemo, no RT.
February, 2014. New primary in left buccal mucosa. Marginal mandibulectomy, neck dissection, right arm free forearm flap. T1N0M0 but third occurrence and some areas of concern: RT started 8 April and finished 19 May.