Hi Bill & welcome! I am truly sorry you have to be here, but these boards are full of warm loving people & much information. Your situation sounds exactly like mine, diagnosed 2/9/04. I AM NOT A DOCTOR, but the feeling I get around here is that the full meal deal is the way to go in terms of reducing your chances of recurrance & as soon as possible! Again, I AM NOT A DOCTOR, but has anyone suggested neck disection at the time of tongue resection, one bigger surgery & one recovery instead of two surgeries & two recoveries? That was my treatment and I can't imagine in retrospect going through two separate surgeries with chemo/rad in between. It just seems like a more efficient way of approaching the situation. I'm a realist so I won't beat around the bush. All the pain meds create their own set of problems, terrible constipation, etc. The sooner I was off the opiates the better for me. I wasn't involved with clinical trials but did commute to Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle every week day for 7 weeks for chemo/rad treatments, about 60 miles from my home. The commute was tiring & the last week and a half I did have someone drive me back & forth. I was just too sick. Being at home is good. Is UAB a comprehensive cancer center? If so you'll have many opinions from a team of doc's & insure your best treatment. Believe me, you only want to do this once and get the job done the best you can. Also, are either of these facilities using IMRT radiation? The radiation beams can be more focused and maybe spare permanent damage to spit glands & other critical structures. Educate yourself as much and as fast as you can. You have a lot ahead of you real soon. Be strong and keep yer chin up!