Hey Nay!

This can be scary stuff, trust me I know sister, but that's why OCF's forums are here!

Mandiblectomies are "big" surgeries typically and recovery is not easy, but it's doable. Immediate recovery after that surgery is fricken rough, everything hurt, so make sure to stick the pain meds. Pain is the enemy of healing, it puts the body in distress and slows the healing process...so make sure she's taken care of there and not trying to tough anything out.

You're going to need help when she comes home, the first week out was a tough one for us and we were thankful to have family to help. Typically after a few days in ICU then they move you to another floor (they did me) and I was in 8 days overall, then had to stay close for a month, which was tough. Movement with the leg is going to be rough and she'll be weak so she may even need help going to the bathroom the first week home.

It's good you are planning now, get all the help you can that week, gets better after that.

Let me know if I can be of any further help, and don't let yourself get overwhelmed with it all...make sure to plug into these forums and the amazing caregivers for support!

Eric