Dianne- My husband had surgery that is quite similar to what you have described. He also had to have half of his bottom right jawbone removed and replace with bone from his leg. He had both sides of his neck dissected also and they found more positive nodes than what showed on the scans so for him that was the right way to go. He woke up with a G-tube and a trach. The trach was removed prior to him coming home and the G-tube was replaced with a PEG through the stomach. He has a bad gag reflex also but due to the meds he was given in the SICU he barely remembers anything. Following his release from the hospital he had chemo and radiation but we knew this going into the surgery. He was in the hospital for 2 weeks but his leg was also healing so you may have less time there.

Hang in there. This is the best place to come for info and reassurance. Please do what the others have suggested and get all this straight with your doctor.

Sue