Hi, just thought I'd update - I'm back home from a week at Univ of Mich hospital where I had the surgery to remove about half my tongue and rebuild with 'harvest' from my left latissimus dorsi.

First, to anyone who got through this with their spirit intact, I salute you. Not going to get into details, but I've never suffered physically anywhere near this. Second, my prognosis is somewhat better than going in (which was: feeding tube for the rest of my life, might not be able to speak, needed to check lymph nodes for metastasis), the tumor was smaller than they could tell from the CT scan so they took a little less of the tongue and there was no evidence of cancer in the lymph nodes. Now they're saying I will definitely speak, and are holding off judgement on swallowing.

The most important lesson I learned is that when lying in the hospital and hearing about all the stuff your kids are doing without you, you realize it's not the steak sandwiches you'll never eat again that are important, it's being alive and with your family (whatever constitutes your family) in just everyday moments that you have to be there for. I'm home now and relishing every moment.