Billy,
I had second thoughts about eating because I had severe swelling under my neck and chin from dissection. I asked my doctor (demanded) to have a swallow test by a speech pathologist and come to find out, I didn't have a problem. It was all up in my head and emotions. It still took a while to swallow but just knowing my throat was ok made me feel a whole heck of a lot braver.
Have you had that test yet?
Take care
Debbie

Partial mandibulectomy and neck dissection 2/3/07. T2NOMO.
Had 14 hour operation which included reconstruction of jaw.
Reconstruction failed. Some radiation, no chemo.