Hello Erik, I will try to answer some of your questions. I am 47 years young. This is the third time I have had oral cancer. So here we go,,, I am not healing because I have had to seperate treatments for radiation. This has ruined all the tissue in the neck and throat area. So the skin, right now, is as hard as a rock. You can litterally knock on it. It is that hard. I have been trying to do things on my own. I did try to swallow some water, I about choked to death..Scared the life out of me and I am not a baby. I am a tough cowgirl from Oklahoma..This time, it is the death of me..My doctors say I am doing great,,however I feel like a failure..I slobber all over my clothes because I cannot swallow my spit even. I cannot close my lips to swallow. The flap is too big, however, they do not want to put me thru another sugery since I have had so many allready. He said he wants to let it reduce itself on it own time...And yes I am with comperhensive cancer center of america here in las vegas and in california...Thank you for listening to me,,,,always vicki lynn