Amy,

My mom's original tongue cancer was a stage I clean margins no lymph node involvement so her ENT said "no radiation we will save it for a recurrance" not only did she have a recurrance (we still hate to call it a recurrance because we think it was just some cancer left behind that the surgeon missed) but she had to endure a second surgery loosing an even larger portion of her tongue and hard palate then she was just barely healed from that and then she had radiation and chemo. It has been 2 years since she completed radiation and she is doing fine now but if she had it to over again she would have opted for the radiation after the first sugery rather than having to deal the whole ordeal for more than 1 year 1st surgery April 03 then recurrance in Nov 03 radiation & chemo started in Jan 04 and ended at the end of March 04.
I would definately get to a CCC as soon as possible for a second opinion. I understand you wanting to get back to your normal life but you will continue second guessing yourself. Like everybody keeps saying this diesese if very unforgiving.
Take care and feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions.

Dani