Write down all the questions you wrote and ask your surgeon tomorrow. Remember he (or she) works for you and they should answer to you. Some surgeons can act a bit superior to the average everyday person but they are NO better than anyone else...including you. Do not allow their years of medical training intimidate you. Here's a link to the main OCF site where theres page after page of info. You can learn a great deal about OC, treatments, etc to become an informed patient so you can be a stronger advocate for yourself.

A few things that can help you with your appointment are.... Take someone along with you to take notes. Just having an extra set of ears will help you to feel more confident at your appointment. Also take along a tape recorder and ask if you can record your appointment so you can go back and listen to it later. Its amazing the amount things you forget as soon as you walk out of the doctors office. At least it is for me, my memory isnt very good at all anymore. Ask if further treatments would be necessary. I would want to know how often your doc has preformed a similar surgery and approximately how many patients needed more surgery down the road. You may want to know if any other doctors will be assisting your surgeon. Ask if they will be taking any tissue from other areas to rebuild your tongue (usually from the wrist/forearm area). Ask if you will need a trach, how long you'll need it and if a possey muir valve trach would be something that would allow you to speak easier or would there be too much swelling for that. I'd also ask approximately how long you will be in the hospital. Most patients are there anywhere from 3-8 days. So many variables go into how long you will need to be hospitalized that its not an easy question.

Best wishes!!! Please let us know how you make out at your appointment.       

Main OCF Site.... Understanding