The surgery will have less impact on your swallowing and the soreness in your mouth and throat than anything you've already been through. For me personally it was a good 6 months before all the soreness (mucocitis) and other issues settled down. Even then, I was on a really bland, and very wet, soft, foods for quite awhile. But rest assured that it does get better.

Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.