For me, radiation was harder to get over. I am young and bounced back pretty quick from surgery. It took me maybe a month to bounce back from surgery. It was a tough month, but it went pretty quick. Radiation, I am now 6 months out and still feeling it's affects. Dry mouth, skin issues, still have thick mucous buildup when i first wake up, and when i exercise, also have taste issues that i didn't have after surgery but before radiation, and I can't stand to eat some of what used to be my favorite foods.
Everything is different for every person. For me, radiation did more damage then surgery, but it's different for everyone. I wish we had the option or radiation/chemo first, but for most of us that have issues with the front of the tongue, they almost always go with surgery first. Actually, i haven't heard of one person so far to be offered chemo/radiation before surgery for anything so far except for base of tongue when it comes to oral cancer.
I will keep you in my thoughts as I think i read that ur surgery is coming up quick!
I didn't need washcloths for drool, cuz they gave me a suction hose with a "red robbin" on the end. the red robbin is a soft tube that almost looks like a straw, but it's sealed at one end, and has a whole or 2 a little ways up from the sealed end. It was soft and I was able to keep the drool issue controlled with it, plus when i got anxious, i would bite on it, lol.
