Barb

For what it is worth, I had the same surgery a year ago PLUS additional Cyberknife radiation and second round of chemo, yet after speech therapy, I can talk as long as I do so SLOWLY AND ENUNCIATE EACH WORD. I put that in caps, because while I chafe at these restrictions, perhaps speaking slowly and extremely very distinctly would work in your line of work.
Actually, a lot of former colleagues have indicated that my former machine gun pace and verbal pyrotechnics made it hard for them to fully understand me. They actually prefer the "new normal".
The key is exactly as Brian posted: Treat this as a new challenge and get good speech therapy. First you have to beat this cancer. keep the faith
charm