You will speak. You will eat. You will define a new normal for your life. The experience is different for everyone,because we all heal differently.
My husband, kent (43), who watches this site, had surgery 3-17-10 for stage 4 SCC tumor on his tongue that started at the base and grew quite large. In an 8-hr surgery Drs. resected and reconstructed 2/3 of his tongue and floor of his mouth with a flap from his forearm, like yours. They took 49 lymph nodes as well. Abt. a month after surgery he started treatment with two chemo treatments and 33 radiation treatments.
He is now (6 mos later) back at work full time, going to the gym and eating normal foods (slowly), but still drinks Carnation Very High Calorie for breakfast b/c it is quick & convenient. He went thru all this without a feeding tube, fortunately. He did 4 sessions with a speech therapist that helped. His eating food is slow, but he's doing it because he is determined. He is a good healer and has a lot of will and resilience. The scar on his forearm is hard to look at but it's fading.
It has been hell on both of us, but there is life after this type of surgery. Get good nutrition in your body, rest, stay active if you have the energy, drinks lots of water and just take one day at a time. Progress seems slow, but you make it.
