Christine
Short and sweet answers to your questions:
I could "talk" even with the trach tube in, which amazed the doctors.
I still have not been able to eat food since the operation in February just PEG tube feedings
Trach pulled after a week while still in hosptial, just 'stoma' (medicalese for hole) left - put bandage on it
Definitely needed speech therapy, plus physical therapy and now swallowing therapy,
Twelve days in hospital (3 in ICU)

And I concur with the advice to Bring a pad of paper and pens
I wrote out in advance on index cards in block letters a series of messages: Pain pills please; suction please; when can I be washed; etc as while I could "talk", there was no guarantee of being understood

finally, zero pain on either of my flap sites, not the wrist where they took the flap, not the groin where they took the skin to replace on the wrist, they both healed perfectly.
Good luck
charm