Good. You all confirmed my first instinct. I will just tell my daughter the truth about what is happening. I won't overwhelm her, but I feel like I need to be the one she hears the word "cancer" from. I'm not going to talk about death, because I think that would just scare her unnecessarily...but I am going to talk about the surgery so she will be prepared for the scar.

Danny, was your jaw wired shut after the jaw split? How long before you could eat? Did you have a tracheotomy? My Dr. has told me I should be swallowing my own food before I head home, which kind of surprised me.

As always...your support is the best. Thank you.

Jennifer


Jennifer
Stage II (T2N0M0) SCC diag 4/21/05; partial glossectomy & selective neck dissection (good margins and lymyph nodes negative), jaw split, 1/3 of tongue removed, free flap from left forearm - 5/23/05; 42 years old at diagnosis