Amylea, welcome to OCF. Please start a new post so that this will get the attention it deserves. Most new members post under the heading of 'introduce yourself'.

The questions you are asking are ones that we cant answer. If your father had a mandibulectomy then it is a long road to recovery. Its not an easy operation to get thru, I speak from experience. With already having radiation, he has gone thru so much already. If he is now facing a recurrance and part of his tongue will be removed, then it will be another long recovery. If your father is a 3 time oral cancer patient, be prepared for a long road. Ive gone thru this 3 times and each time it took me longer to recover. Cancer wears a body down.

Do you know how much of the tongue will be removed? Is the doctor making a free flap?

The G tube will be determined by how well your father is able to eat and sustain himself. Its usually ok to be removed after he can maintain his weight for 2 months without using the tube. For now, he will depend on the tube for a while until he is able to eat again. Eating is up to him and if he is able to chew and swallow. He may need a swallowing test to make sure he is able to get food down into the stomach and not into his lungs. This cant be rushed.

Best of luck to your dad.