In my case I had the neck dissection 3 months after the radiation. My ENT said that sometimes the radiation shrinks the lymph node down to normal, making the surgery unnecessary. A radiologist at the Univ of Iowa was bragging that he shrunk a 9 centimeter lymph node down to nothing. That didn't happen to me. My lymph node stayed the same size all the way thru. My ENT said that if it still shows up 2 months after the radiation, then he orders the surgery.

I was told that I had a small airway which caused a need to intubate me awake before the surgery. It was no big deal. They give you major sleepy drugs that make you think the whole thing is one big party. I remember coughing the tube back out during one attempt and laughing about it like it was the funniest thing in the world. I don't think anyone else in the room was pleased with it not going in right, but it must of later. The last thing I remember is a man saying 'That's it, I'm In." The nurse leaned over me saying "You did good, honey" Then it was lights out!

My ENT suggested that I wear a medical alert bracelet saying 'small airway'. The anetisegolists (you know I can't spell) warned me that I should never let anyone put me out without doing the intubation first. He said that would be very bad. I believed him and didn't ask him what very bad might mean.