Thanks for sharing man. First WOW, you are bold to sign up for that surgery. Moving nerves and cutting around the carotid is some serious business. Sending you good vibes for a speedy recovery. As with any surgery high protein is a must to facilitate wound healing. Then eat carbs and fats as tolerated to give you some energy to move around. It will mostly be trial and error so I'd just take it one step at a time if I were you. Getting from post-surgical to PO will be an undertaking in it's own. Then worry about the po diet at that time.