When my doctor was describing to me just what I was in store for they explained that in replacing the bone with the fibula free flap that the surgery time would be 12 hours due to the need for the trac placement, the PEG placement first then the removal of the teeth, tumor and bone while Dr. Halvorson "harvested" the bone from the femur. It is strage that even working in the medical field did not prepare me for what I truly faced. It was explained to me that in doing this surgery I would have a "dimple" in my chim (she did not describe the scarring I would have to my neck and that in cutting they may cut through the nerve which when I stuck out my tongue it would hang sideways...kinda like a dog when he is panting. I joke with my family and friends about how it could have been but I was very lucky. The entire surgery took 12 hours and I was in ICU for 4 days because of a fever or 103. I have pictures of me in the ICU for I wanted to see each and every stage. I had my surgery on 3/13/08, came out into the private room on Monday, had my trach changed out and size reduced on Tuesday. By Thursday-one week post op- my trac was removed. On Friday I was released from the hopital and walked from my room to the elevator and out the door of the hospital (approximately 100 yards total) and was home from Chapel Hill the next day after staying over a night in the motel. I did not find out how much of my tissue in my mouth had been removed until a few weeks later. I don't know what I ws thinking when I found out I had hair growing inside my mouth. I tell people that the only thing that scares me is that when I get old and in a nursing home people will think I am a werewolf. The tube feedings were not sufficent for me so I asked my home town doctor if I oculd put some other food down my tube. I would send my husband out for oyster stew, strain it, put a little milk in it and use it as a supplement, I was allowed to put some Sprite and very thin chicken soup down the tube and even tea and Coca Cola which would prevent the tube from clogging. I think they realized when I was showering and washing my hair while I still had the trach in thatI was determined not to let this horrid disease get the better of me. By April 15 I was allowed to eat soft foods but not thin liquids. I began with creamed potatoes, yams pudding and anything I could think of. The only problems I had were getting a small area of the incision on my right leg to heal. By May 5th I was back to work on the 11-7 shift with no restrictions. Even though the tumor was 2 X 3 cms---I think, I will have to go back to the report--and I had one node test positive, the tumor board felt I did not have to have radiation or chemo for which I am truly grateful. The pitfalls of not having teeth did not stop me from gaining 30 pounds after surgery . I am now walking 120 mnutes a day and trying to take off the excess pounds. Think positive as I did. I will never forget the fear I felt when they expalined the need for the trach and PEG. I was able to remove the PEG myself on May 15th. I still have to see my oncologist but have not seen the plastic surgeon since last August. He did a magnificent job with what he had to work with. Good luck and as I said with his positive attitude he sounds a lot like me.