Hi, DR, had a thought about "preparing" everyone. Just want to warn you that your Mom will probably look dreadful when you see her in the recovery room: there might be tubes and hoses everywhere,her neck may be bound in gauze bandages and there may be swelling, she may have pressure pumping booties on to stop blood clots in her legs, she will most likely be hooked up to several machines. These are all normal parts [not pretty] of "after neck dissection surgery". The staff should give you a ph# that you can call anytime to speak to the nurse caring for her during the times you aren't allowed in the room. It's hard to see her this way, but it is part of the process, so don't let it scare you too much. Amy in the Ozarks