| Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 | Emmylou,
I had this same surgery 4 years ago and it's a fact that it's better to use the bone from his leg. My leg is a little weaker than the other one if I want to run, and it gets tired after a long day but if I'm just walking during a normal day, no one would know I was missing one of the bones. My jaw works fine, not much different from the real one, just a little stiffer.
As Wayne said, the surgery is long and tough but he will get through it just as many others have before him!
SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.
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