Hi MaWalton,

I have had the surgery they are proposing for your husband and someone has really given you the wrong information about this surgery. It's certainly no walk in the park, but it is far from what you described. It's not disfiguring for one thing. Second, the pain from the surgery is minimal and managed easily with proper medications. Three, it is NOT debilitating for months. Within two weeks of my surgery, I was eating what I wanted, talking just fine, and recovering nicely. I wouldn't wish the surgery on anyone, but please don't let the nightmarish things you've obviously heard keep you from considering it as treatment for your husband.

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.