Functional Neck Dissection, Right side

I just had a Tonsillectomy and a Right Partial Pharyngectomy due to a localized Squamous Cell on right tonsil only. Both MRI and full body PET Scans show no other location. It was termed a very early pick up. No real tumor, just cells causing a thicking of the mucosa.

I can not have any more radiation because I recieved max dose in 1996 in neck due to Squamous cell on the back of my tongue.

Due to that fact, my doctor is strongly suggesting a Functional Neck Dissection on the right side. I have read in some post there is not much to it and that a tonsillectomy is worst that the Functional Neck Dissection Surg.

I am not worried about the surg much, just I have a wonderment about the recovery time. I am a General Manager of a company and work in an office and mostly communicate with people. Just wondering if anyone could share with me what to expect.

I missed work for a little over a week with the oral surg and only had to use tynoal to control the pain, not all that much to the tonsillectomy and Pharyngectomy either.

Any information would be helpful.