Well, tried to post a reply but since I'm kind of new to this, it vaporized...

In any event, I just wanted to say thanks to all who offered advice. This has been a difficult time for Mark and all of us, so I know some of his discomfort is just anxiety and stress. He's practiced yoga for years and that has certainly helped him through this. He is excited about feeling better so that he can do some of the more strenuous exercises.

And Ssax, unfortunately, he's not at MD Anderson. He is a daytrader without insurance and couldn't get in there in time. He was able to get surgery at UTMB in Galveston, though, and they have been truly wonderful and professional. I just get the sense that some of those docs are focused on the 'big' cases and post-surgery consults are not where the excitement is. Maybe I'm too far removed because I haven't been there all day every day with him. It seems strange to me though, that if you have a patient who has been through life-altering surgery and is now communicating to you that he can't sleep and his neck looks like the Elephant Man... you do something! They give him liquid morphine when it gets really bad. Is there anything else that you guys think he should be taking?

Thanks for all the replies. It really helps. It's amazing to me that this kind of surgery is possible at all, so my family is grateful that he's still here with us. I have to say, in spite of not having a tongue, he's actually doing pretty good. I'll forward your replies to my mother who will make some detailed notes to take to the docs at UTMB. And we will camp out on their doorstep! I don't have a problem with that at all!