Good Morning Friends!
I have decided to post in this new forum as my previous post was under "Possible Recurrence" and now the recurrence has been confirmed. My surgery is scheduled for June 19th and I would like to find out more about speech and eating issues following a partial palatectomy. I currently have a prosthesis which replaces the right upper jaw removed in previous surgeries. The prosthodontist will use this temporarily and add an obturator to fill in the hole left by the removal of the palate. I currently lead a very active life and of course, would love to continue doing so in spite of this upcoming surgery. My questions are:
1) How was the recovery process for those of you have have gone through this? Were you able to leave the obturator in so you could speak right after surgery or were there days or weeks when it had to be left out for healing purposes?
2) I will have a nasogastric feeding tube at first. How long did you have to leave that in place?
3) Have any of you used healthier versions of the Ensure/Boost protein drinks in your feeding tubes?
4) I have severe xerostomia from past radiation and parotidectomy. If I'm not able to drink by mouth initially, will I just have to use small sponges to wet my mouth?

I will address all those questions with the doctor in my pre-op visit, but I would love to hear any of your first hand experiences and words of wisdom before I have this latest surgery.
Thank you all for your input!
Love,
Karen