Free flap means the donor tissue is completely removed from the donor site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_flap.

My first free flap was a success, although I have some residual nerve damage on my wrist. They tend to build the faux tongue oversized because they can remove some later but can't add any. Lots of drains involved, so you can gauge your progress by how many are left!

I used a clipboard with a pen tied to it to communicate. I also had my plastic flies for amusement.

After stuf healed, I was able to talk in person and on my cell phone and be understood the majority of the time, plus I was able to swallow food (They only replaced 2/3 of my mobile tongue, so the muscles on the BOT were all OK. I wish I still had that free flap and was able to talk that well!

On my second free flap (entire tongue), they implanted the Doppler sensor to detect flow in the major vein and artery, but eventually the front part of the flap died from lack of proper circulation. They did let me remove the sensors myself.