Craig,
Squamous cell carcinoma on the ventral surface of my tongue was my disease. Without going into all my treatments (you can see them posted under IMRT in 3 weeks in this section) I would say that you apparently are in the hospital for a longer time than I was; I did not have a trach or anything. I would say it might take you a while to recover from a week of immobility, but they will almost certainly have you up walking around the hospital a bit. I would think they would have physical therapy folks pay you a call. I had a speech therapist as well. Both were quite helpful.

In regards to your voice: I teach school music, and love to teach voice to my students. It is my vanity that I can sing the SSB at games with the crowd and get compliments or visit a church with my family and get the same. I don't get a lot of other compliments in life, so you hate to lose what you have! However my health has become more important to me that that. I had a discussion with the medical oncologist today who is going to administer the chemo to me about voice. Both she and the radiation oncologist told me they doubted sincerely that it would affect my voice that much. The medical oncologist told me she had a radio announcer as a patient, and he is back to his job as a radio announcer and you can't tell a thing.

Now I don't know how much tongue you are losing. I did not lose a lot, and my speech is a lot better this week (3 weeks ago second tongue surgery). I notice that I have lost some strength in my breathing apparatus, which will be regained, as once you have the technique it'll come back. I am fairly certain the voice is still there.

I think you will need to relearn how to use your tongue. But please realize, as I had to, that you've got to get rid of your cancer, or all else is in peril as well, including your voice. I know the human tendency is to want to avoid anything painful, difficult, that threatens what we are.

I would be happy to help you further if you want it.
Anne