Hi. My husband has st 4 base of tongeu. He had almost all his lymph nodes removed. We fought the insurance company and obtained a hospital bed. He sleeps in a upright position , this helpps the fluids drain better. The doctor said it is called epiderma which is caused by removing the lymph nodes and radiation. His neck would swell up and be hard as a rock. The past two months it seems to have gotten a lot better. If ya cant get a hospital bed try try lots of pillows.Michele