Malka, are you listening? I hope you are getting some of the info that you were needing. I am learning a lot, even though my surgery would be somewhat different. For you, it would be the same (though far less than Hacklene's!)

Hacklene, you must be quite a trooper! Thanks for sharing your story! XO

Yes, Colleen I am following this thread and am very encouraged by the responses.

My next appointment w. the ENT is the end of February. I am now going to call and request a consult at that time with the plastic surgeon who would be doing the reconstruction. Before that I will talk to Dr. Chiche my friend who is a prostodentist at LSU Dental school. Since it seems that dental work is most likely not going to be covered, I am going to ask if there is any program at the Dental School to which I could apply.

I would like to hear more from others about dental replacement following reconstruction. What was done about replacement of teeth? How long before you were able to eat like a person with a full mouth of teeth?

I see that I forgot to ask about using the iliac crest as a donor site. Does anyone out there have experience with this??

Malka