HI, MY NAME IS VICKI, THO EVERYONE HAS ALWAYS CALLED ME MISS VICKI,,SOUTHERN IN ME, I GUESS,,ANYWAY, I AM 47 YEARS YOUNG,, THIS IS MY 3RD TIME WITH MOUTH CANCER,,SO YES I AM A SURVIVOR,,BUT STILL FIGHTING..I GOT MOUTH CANCER THE FIRST TIME IN 1989 AT THE AGE OF 32,,THEN IT CAME BACK 10 YEARS TO THE DAY,,THEN AGAIN IN 2003,,I JUST HAD RADICAL THROAT AND NECK WITH COMPLETE JAW REPLACEMENT,,MY QUESTION IS THIS,,I HAVE HAD RADIATION 2 TIMES,,,ONCE WITH THE MASK AND EXTERNEL,,I GUESS YOU CALL IT,,THEN RADIATON IMPLANTS,,,THE AREA, MY JAW, CHEEKS, THROAT, IS TAKING FOREVER TO GO DOWN IN SWELLING...I HAVE A FEEDING TUBE AND A TRECH...THE TRECH WILL COME OUT AS SOON AS THE SWELLING GOES DOWN WHICH ISNT HAPPENING VERY QUICKLY,,DOC SAYS IT COULD TAKE UP TO YEARS FOR THIS TO OCCUR. WHICH WAS NOT WHAT I WAS TOLD BEFORE THIS HORRIBLE PAINFUL 14 HOUR SURGERY...ANYONE HAD THIS REACTION THAT CAN GIVE ME SOME INSIGHT AS TO WHAT TO REALLY EXPECT..THANK YOU SO MUCH,,,MISS VICKI