Hi Reno!

I had a mandiblectony with a fibular free flap for osteradionecrosis. My surgery took 8 hours plus, but being vessel depleted in my left neck, the artery and vein from my chest were used, so that took extra time.

I was in the hospital for 7 days. The first day or so I vaguely remember, but about third day they try to get you up, and I sat in the chair. About the same time I used a trache, but that was taken out and speaking value placed, and started earring puréed food.

When I had the trache, I had an iPhone with the speaking app, iSpeak, but that didn’t prove helpful as I didn’t have it in recovery, and when I did get my phone, the writing was too small for me to see it. Eventually I got a writing board, after much hand sign language difficulty. If you have family, it may be better, but being alone was difficult, although once I was out of recovery and in the “step down” unit it was better.

I was discharged after 7 days, and typically one would go home, so they said, but I needed more help moving around after prior surgeries/treatments, and no help at home, so I went to a nursing home for two months. I stil had the boot on at least a week after I was there, and bandages were then changed daily. Even after I was discharged, my fibula didn’t fully heal, so I had reconstruction surgery about the 5th month.

I hope this helps!