Katie
I've just been discharged from having a 'free flap' on the 23rd. They took muscle from my upper abd and also skin. It looks like I tried to swallow a small football! Have a n/g tube and trach. Hopefully after my swallowing test on Mon will have them removed. They are what bother me the most. The doctor feels that I won't need my obturator anymore. Reconstructive surgery in the future. Hopefully no more recurrances! Can't wait to eat a BLT! If your defect is small like 'sister' Colleen's, I would personally live with the obturator. After my second surgery, my obturator was as big as an oyster shell and there were no teeth attached. This surgery has certainly knocked the wind from
my sails and I wouldn't recommend it unless there was a huge defect and there was no other choice.
Sue

Susan Holsberg
ssc r maxilla r partial maxillectomy 9/25 brachytherapy 12/7
28 imrt 12/27 erbitux 12/20 recurrance 5/07 total maxillectomy
keeping my fingers crossed