Parotidectomy - Then and Now

I am having a parotidectomy - surgical removal of the salivary gland - today.

Of all the sites I studied prior to this date about the procedure and the risks of surgery, I found the most informative and comforting  to be Poked and Parotid - Journal of My Parotid Tumor by Andy Little.  His site chronicles the entire process, from pre-diagnosis, to diagnosis, pre-op, surgery, and post-op, and even includes an epilogue.

Andy Little's paroditectomy was in 2003, a last photo of his parotidectomy scar was posted in 2005, and his site was last updated in 2008.  In hopes of adding information that might be of additional value since that date, I've created this post and will add to it as I proceed through the process. 

I find myself returning to Andy Little's blog to both reread the text and to examine his pictures, perhaps to use his pictures as a crystal ball in hopes of glimpsing some image of what the future holds for me.  For others with the same concerns, I will share as many pictures as I can.

My pre-surgery images are here.

I have shared some of my pre-surgery thoughts and feelings here:

Scar - 2/4/10
Did It Just Begin - 2/7/10
Results of Longitudinal Research Studies - 2/12/10

Andy Little kindly gave me permission to write about finding his site from both personal and business points of view:

A Google Real-Time Search Story - LeBron James Had a Parotidectomy, Too - 2/11/10
Social Media Works to Resurrect Static, Legacy Sites from Internet Obscurity - 2/14/10

The outpouring of support from family, friends and colleagues has given me great strength.  I am ready.