It sure has been an ordeal Susan! Thanks for your message.

Today�s check-up went well. My Plastic Surgeon is pleased with the release of the tongue flap and skin graft.

For the first time in 3 years I can move /lift the back of the tongue flap (left side) and feel it touch my upper teeth. The tongue flap and graft is swollen, but the tongue flap can now be moved. In a few days I will massage the tongue flap- skin graft to ensure it doesn�t stick down while healing.

Fat transferred into my chin is holding well. At the moment it feels firm. The fat has filled and shaped it a little. In a healthy chin, 80% of fat transferred remains, the rest usually dissolves into the body. When fat is transferred into a damaged radiated area like my chin, the percentage of healthy fat that remains drops dramatically, it doesn�t survive.

My chin and hip is bruised. The nurse removed the stitches from my chin. The stitches on my hip (donor site for graft) are dissolvable, as are the stitches on the tongue flap holding the skin graft.

The Plastic Surgeon said in a couple of months, once my tongue has settled, she would be happy to release the right side as much as she can. The reason she wouldn�t release both sides at once was incase the surgery turned ugly. The risk of damaging blood circulation in the tongue flap could destroy it causing the entire flap to die. Thankfully, everything went according to plan.

Next check-up is in a week.

Karen