Just wanted to post an update on my mom's July 23rd repeat hemiglossectomy. I also wanted to thank everyone once again for the insight and encouragement.

My mom's surgery went well, and she's at home now with some home health visits. She still has a trach and a PEG tube, and she's had some problems over the last couple of days with new swelling, but she's doing remarkably well and is walking her dog and organizing her closets already!

The best news of all is that her surgeon was able to get clear margins, her nodes were clear, and from what I understand, the cancer had grown up and forward from the back margins of her flap toward the front of her tongue and throat rather than back and down toward the larynx. She now has a new flap and a graft to close a wound on her throat and skin (she had a new lesion on her neck, and it turns out it was the cancer trying to break through her skin). Her jaw and larynx and much of the base of the tongue are all still in tact.

We are so very grateful for this news, and I am particularly grateful for the advice and support of the wonderful people on this forum.