Yes - there are people out there who have had total glossectomies and can communicate okay - removal of the larynx is a different story commication wise, but there are ways for you to communicate after you've healed - I'm not overly familiar with them, but the is info here somewhere.

With regards to post op pain... Okay I had a hemi, reconstruct, and left neck dissection. Post op the only pain i jad was the trache (frankly it wasnt painful - it was a pain in the a**) I hated it. It was only in for 3 days then they put in a fenestrated trache which allowed me to breathe normally - from that point on I was good. Day 5 they removed the trache. I had a dressing on my wrist that was uncomfortable - but not painful - mostly I was stiff and numb. Used morphine for the first day or two but it was patient controlled so I rarely used it - after that 2 Tylenol three for a head ache before bed was all I needed - by day five I wasn't using pain meds at all. Everyone is different but that's my story..
So the pain does end - eventually.

Best of luck to both of you...

MT Lisa... You should not be horribly disfigured... You should look ok... Ask them - look up pictures. Hugs to you...