Nicky, I had 2 neck dissections, and looked like heck after each time. I look at the photos of myself day after surgery and even scare myself just looking at them. Remember my voice sounding strange for a couple of days, mostly because of post op swelling. As it is I looked way worse than I felt.

Not sure of the policy on hospital stays in U.S., in H.K. they kept me for about 7 days post-op the first surgery, which included the partial glossectomy and neck dissection, and about 6 days for the second time which was just a second neck dissection on opposite side as first.

Second time I still had the staples in when I left the hospital, they just covered the wound with clear plastic bandage to keep it from getting wet and removed the staples the following week Mostly I had just a stiff neck from the bandage. Stopped in the office on the way home from the hospital just to see what was going on, mostl grossing folks out.

But, everyone is a little different, results vary.

Glad Thomas is doing ok though, best wishes on his recovery.
Bob