I am going to be with my brother for his neck surgery and was hoping to get some idea about the situation I'm going into so I can best help him. He has just completed 30 days of radiation with 2 chemotherapies and is pretty sick and can't talk right now. He is having a neck dissection and a radiation pellet implanted in the base of his tongue in February. I already know that during the 1st few days my contact with him will be limited due to the radiation levels. Will he be able to talk (at a whisper or normally)? Will the arm on the side of the dissection be imobile? I was thinking of getting him a disposable cell phone for him to communicate with me when I can't be in the room. I would appreciate any suggestions on what he might expect to happen to him in the hospital. What will his needs might be that I can assist him with?