Rita-

I had right at about half of my mobile tongue removed and a free flap put in its place. I eat whatever the heck I want to! From pizza to croutons or fried food and soups. So, I hope I don't ever wear a hole in my flap! Haha. I can stick my tongue out of my mouth about a half an inch and I can touch my teeth up to about half way back except for the bottom teeth on the side of my flap - I can't reach beyond my incisor tooth on that side! My biggest complaint is that foods get stuck in the area between my original tongue and the flap - there's a crevice there which I'm told is normal. I also still have the tip of my tongue and on the very outside edge the graft didn't connect all the way so I can wiggle it separately like I have a bifurcated tongue! It's kind of a neat trick! My flap was placed during the same surgery that the tumor was removed in. I had a second surgery though for the graft on my arm about a month later.