Hi - so glad it went quickly for you! The numbness should go away soon. Try drinking your meals for a bit! Ensure or boost. Up your protein intake to help you heal.(Maybe mix in some protein powder with the ensure or take in smoothies if you can). The good thing about ensure is it's a fairly small quantity and you can sip on the bottle over a few hours to try and limit the nausea but still get nutrition) The nutrition will help with the shakes etc... T3 on an almost empty stomach can make you into a mess (not everyone knows this but it has caffiene in it) Speaking will improve- I'm sure your tongue is swollen once that goes down, and the numbness subsides you will be intelligible. Working - I can't say as it depends on how quickly you heal! The drooling is your body's way of trying to deal with what's been done to your mouth. Try adding a table spoon of salt and one of baking soda to a glass of water (lukewarm) rinse and swish and spit!. It helps heal. ( we use this for radiation muscositis) thrush - is a bugger - clobber it before it progresses. Stay away from sugar that makes it worse. Hugs and good luck!