In comparison to some here at OCF, I'd say more like Purgatory than Hell. The jaw splitting does sound worse than it is but it's not a walk in the park either. My entire left side was numb for over a year and I still need to do jaw stretching exercise for my trismus.
Eating and talking will be dependent on how much of the base of the tongue they need to take. The mobility of the tongue is a factor in swallowing. Individual results vary but most can eat and talk. I have a palate drop prosthesis which lowers the roof of my mouth so my tongue can touch it to improve my speech.
Actually Mike's surgeon should be able to give rough parameters. Mine warned me going in that I was likely to have difficulties if she had to cut more than half out (which she did). Plus very few people here ever get radiation to the same place a second time which I had to have due to the pathology report. So Mike's chances could be good. I do recommend getting the doctor primed to give a prescription for speech and physical therapy afterwards. Both helped me tremendously in recovering.
Keep the Faith
charm