Hi Amy - I had the same surgery followed by radiation and chemo and I'm doing great (so far) the surgery sounds daunting but for your type of cancer your ENT is right on track. This is the standard and expected treatment. Being at a CCC is important but since you have your surgery so soon, I would go with it, then if you have any further need for treatment follow up at a CCC. (Assuming you aren't already at one. Pain wise the surgery is not too bad. You'll find you are numb from your ear to your collar bone and this will stick around for a while. I'm three years out from surgery and I'm still getting feeling back though there are areas I am sure that will be numb forever, you will look horrid but that will pass in a few weeks, 17 days after surgery I was on a beach in Mexico with two dressings (trache - which you may or may not have) and my wrist (donor site) I was eating soft foods and doing okay. The trache was gone day three of my hospital stay, drains day 1/2 (2 drains - he removed one the day after surgery the second the next day) IV day 2 (needed no real pain meds) catheter day 1. I was showering day 2 - I as super motivated though, and have a fairly high pain tolerance. You will get through it - hugs and welcome and hope your scan results are good.