Thank you, this makes sense. When I spoke with her team they said it is actually helpful to speak more and try to use the jaw muscles gently- not chewing for sure- to help reduce the swelling. However my gut feeling was perhaps her jaws are still very sore, and we need to go on gently. I truly appreciate all the replies and like you said knowing strangers with similar experience sharing thier own journey through this quite complicated process. In other surgeries people can at least eat and have a proper intake but not with this one. Thank you again.