Lisa,

I had a left side neck dissection (along with a partial glossectomy) when I was 39, and I was absolutely bed-bound and in ICU for 24 hours. They told me ICU was standard procedure for post-surgical head and neck patients so I could have close observation during that period.

As I recall (this was 18 years ago), they started to get me up walking around day 2 or 3. I was in the hospital for 4 days.

I didn't have the phlegm problem at that point because I had radiation after surgery.

Cathy