My nephew recently had a flap on the heel of his foot from the donor site, which was his thigh. (His heel was shattered in an accident) His heel had an area in it which had to be filled in so therefore they took the tissue from his thigh to fill it in. Following the surgery, the next 48 hours or so are crucial, as the skin has to knit together and blood has to flow/circulate to make sure that it is alive, if it isn't knitting and circulating properly then it is dead and it has failed.

I had never even heard of a flap until I needed to have one a couple of years ago.

My first tongue flap was taken from my thigh and unlike Margaret I had no pain or discomfort from my thigh whatsoever.

My second flap was taken from my hip (also bone was taken from my hip for my jaw) that area was uncomfortable for quite a while. My first and second flap is basically an attachment to the little piece at the back left of my own real tongue. With a flap like my it cannot be lifted at the front of the mouth, it is permanently stuck down around the front (behind the line where the bottom teeth sit)

I had a trache in for about 10 - 12 days both operations. My trache was removed both times before I left the hospital.

The nurses washed my hair once - they layed my bed back flat, and had buckets and all sorts of things and somehow or another they shampoo and conditioned my hair, and then dryed it !!

They also have dry shampoo cap packs in some hospitals (especially designed for hospital use - they are heated in a microwave before use)- I have one that I would be more than happy to send to you.

I was able to talk as soon as they took the trache out. They close it up once the swelling starts to go down and they gradually close it for longer periods of time until it can be taken out. Once they are happy and confident that your airways are free from swelling and able to breathe properly without assistance it is removed.

Karen