If you have questions, feel free to ask. We can tell you our experiences and hopefully help you to avoid the pitfalls we had. One thing you can start doing now to be proactive is to start eating all your favorite foods, deserts too. I know it isnt easy eating after such a major surgery. Mouth surgery can be very painful and have a huge impact on a patients ability to eat. Most patients dont have much of an appetite after their cancer diagnosis and surgeries. Do the best you can to take in as much as possible. Gaining a few pounds is ok and encouraged especially if you are on the average or slim side.

Anyone who offers their assistance to you, write down their name and contact info and tell them you will let them know how they can help when the time comes. Ive found most people really do want to help but they just dont know what they can do. Ive always been overly independent so it was a very hard thing when I had to ask for help. I was pleasantly surprised by how many people from my work who stepped up and went above and beyond to help me. I also was very disappointed with a few people I had considered to be very close when they ran for the hills after I told them I was sick. I felt like they must have considered me to be contagious the way they disappeared from my life for months. Once I was better they went back to treating me like they always had without ever saying a word as to why they avoided me. Dont be surprised if you have similar things happen in your circle of friends and relatives.

By reading and learning more about your cancer it will help to make you a strong advocate for yourself. I found reading things on the main OCF site to be very helpful. Reading what others have suffered thru can make patients feel overwhelmed. Take it step by step and day by day.

Hope today is a good one for you and you are feeling a little better, and tomorrow will be even better.