Rahel, I don't mean to disappoint you but I wish I could give you a more definitive answer on the tongue issue. It's surely a vexing problem!

My surgery in March 2009 also left me with the left side of my tongue numb, as well as parts of that side of my face and neck. At the time my ENT said there was no way to predict if or when sensation would return. I also spoke to a neurologist who'd treated me the year before for an unrelated problem. He was even more discouraging and told me that if sensation were to come back it would be within the first month or so.

Yet my RO said that in her opinion a return could take a lot longer - up to 5 years.

Anywho, here it is 21 months later and, alas, very little sensation has returned. I feel a bit of pressure when I run my teeth over that side, but it's still nothing like a normal feeling. And I'm always aware of a kind of subtle tingling. Maybe that's a good thing!

Parts of my face have returned to action however, although the "caved in" area under my left jaw is still pretty much dead to the touch. On a positive note, the facial hair on that side returned fairly quickly last year.

Along with the numb tongue of course comes numb taste buds. Dunno about the hot-cold thing, but certainly things just don't taste as vivid as they did before.

So in sum: don't panic. I have a feeling many of us have gone through this and had partial or complete return of sensation. I do note progress in my own case, and because of this would love to believe my oncologist that I might feel more and more over the next few years.

Hang in there and please keep us posted.

David 2