Jen, we are all different, but just to give you an alternative experience, I had my neck dissection after rad/chemo. It was about 6 weeks after treatment ended, only because they tried it at 4 weeks and found "suspicious" tissue samples, which they take before getting on to the surgery and the pathologist couldn't get a test result while I was on the table. So they brought me out of it and told me I had to get it done again after they got the biopsy results. I don't remember, but my wife told me I cried in the recovery room because I told her I couldn't do it again. Of course, that was just the drugs. Turned out there was no cancer in the samples taken, so we rescheduled the surgery and then cancelled it the day of the surgery because the doctor threw his back out and couldn't operate. Rescheduled it again and finally had it done on 5/5/04.
The good part of the deal was I was never checked into the hospital. I was put into recovery and kept there overnight and they released me to go home the next morning, Saturday. I started work from home the following Monday and during the next week had my two drain tubes removed and continued working.
The surgery was no big deal. It was less than the rad, less than the tonsilectomy, by far, and only a little worse than chemo which for me was the same as not having had chemo. I still can't guarantee they ever gave me chemo because I had no trouble with it (had some problems with the first antinausia meds, but only once and when changed, all was OK). So you shouldn't worry too much about the surgery. By the way, mine was supposed to take 1 1/2 to 2 hours and ended up taking 3 1/2 due to the doctor scrapping tissue off of the nerves and carotid artery. All told, they took 35 nodules in 5 different nodes and an additional 10 oz. (approx) of tissue. Mostly muscle.
Long term effects has been a stiffening of the tissue on the surgery side and a soreness, loss of strength in the shoulder. Physical therapy helped and then normal activity has more or less resumed with some strength and function reduction. So you should be OK.
I didn't have any voice box discussions. Perhaps because my primary was in the tonsil. Like you, though, I lost speaking ability for a bit after rad. Not too long, and it wasn't totally gone, but it was limited, and I saved it for work as much as possible.
Try some other pain meds, like oxycotin, to try to avoid morphine if it bothers you. Doctors should be able to advise you on that. Keep a positive attitude as you are in the last inning here. From here on out it is just going to get better.
