Hi and welcome. The scary part aside from the cancer is no insurance - there is an area on this forum that has information about what can be done to help with the insurance. I wish I could give you the info but I'm Canadian and gratefully so. I too have had oral tongue cancer. From what you've said this is not HPV related. Most HPV related cancers are base of tongue (down the back of your throat) or tonsil related. Oral tongue cancer is a dog of a different color. Usually it's a smoker drinker cancer often found in older men but the demographic is changing. There are quite a few of us here with no precursors for it (check out my signature) and scarily we've had people as young as 18 dx'd with it. I attribute mine to chronic irritation but drs can't say for sure. Usually the treatment is surgery followed by radiation and chemo. Rads is not fun and the fall out is long term in that it is considered the gift that keeps on giving. Dental issues, healing issues, jaw issues, swallowing issues, and taste, and salivary damage. Some times you may end up with only a few post treatment problems but sometimes people get them all. The best way to deal with it is working to offset the problems before they become an issue. So far my teeth are okay, jaw too, my taste is alright though not nearly as good as previously, and I'm only really dry at night. Chemo is unpleasant with issues like hearing, peripheral neuropathy, eye sight, and nausea, all being possible problems. Most are recoverable, though the hearing and eyesight can be permanent, along with the neuropathy. That said I only had minor nausea - others have had far worse.
Not sure how much of your tongue you are losing or if they're planning to rebuild it. But speech should be okay eventually it will heal then if you have to have rads it will flare up again for a bit. As of last Friday I'm 23 months post surgery, and 20 months post treatment. My speech at this point is 98% I only have a bit of a slur when I'm tired. My tongue was rebuilt from a flap on my arm, but I only lost about 1/3 - the more you lose the more difficult it can be - but we have people here who've had their entire tongues removed but can speak, and eat fine, and have a steady job. It sounds to me like your dr has been on it from the outset so hopefully it hasn't spread beyond your tongue. Is he planning to do a neck dissection too? Often that is the next place it pops up.
I know ignorance can be bliss but educate yourself. I say this only because you are the best advocate for you. No one will look out for your health better than you or someone who loves you. Some drs are great don't get me wrong, but when it comes down to it they have hundreds of patients and all it takes is one small error or miss on their behalf and you could then find yourself behind the eight all in a fight for your life. This cancer seems so benign - a small spot on your tongue, nothing like a mass in your breast etc.. But it can be highly aggressive and you may only get one shot at it.

Sorry I didn't mean to scare you - just give you a heads up. I'm not sure who your dr is or where you're being treated. I'm glad you've been booked into surgery so quickly. But do make sure you get the best treatment possible. Hugs and take care.