Eli (and others who are reading)
Like your sister I also was not a smoker or drinker and the doctors were totally freaked that someone so young should have tongue cancer. Doctors have told me that they are seeing more of it in people who don't fit the risk profile and so far they don't know why. I agree that the radiation was by far the worst of the treatment. I was in tremendous pain and had to be hospitalized to finish treatment and receive medication and nutrition by IV until I had a feeding tube put in. I was on fairly high doses of narcotics for several months until my mouth and throat started to heal. I don't have much trouble with mouth sores now. There is discomfort from the constant dryness - I wake up with a sore throat everyday and talking is painful - which doesn't necessarily stop me from doing it. I can eat soft foods although nothing tastes like it used to and some things taste really bad. I have some disability and ongoing discomfort and limited movement from the neck dissections and radiation. Physical therapy has helped a lot but there will also be some things that aren't as they were before. That can psychologically be the most difficult part. Some of the effects are permanent. It doesn't mean I won't have a good life anymore but some things will be different. I won't "get well" completely as friends wish for me - wanting me to be the way I was before. I still go out with friends but rarely eat much if anything because there are so few restaurant items I can handle. While I don't like this I think it makes others more uncomfortable than me. I still don't have my energy level back to what it was but that should improve as should my overall lack of physical strength from the huge weight loss and months of inactivity.
ilene