My husband, Chip, had his surgery on Aug. 26 at Sloan Kettering. 12 hour marathon. Segmental mandibulectomy with reconstruction using fibula free flap. Modified neck dissection. The surgeons seemed pleased and said they got good margins and did not have to cut corners.

Chip came through the surgery well despite his diabetes and was even sitting up in a chair for a few hours yesterday (less than 24 hours after surgery) although quite groggy and in some pain even with morphine, etc. Still, better than I expected. Last night, however, he had a big problem with the trach. I'm still not certain exactly what happened or why except that he couldn't breathe, lost a lot of blood (but didn't require a transfusion), the doctors and nurses came running and had it all under control by the time I arrived in the morning. Just wondering if others have encountered similar problems with the trach?

They ended up changing his room this morning so that he would be directly across from the nurses' station and I have arranged for an aide to be with him all night for the next few nights so that she can watch him for any changes/issues since he cannot talk with his jaw wired shut. Any other ideas or thoughts?

This trach problem scared the wits out of him. He wrote this morning that he thought he was a goner - and that's from one of the toughest guys I've ever met.