Actually it's an oral tongue cancer the standard treatment is in fact surgery first. I would phone your dr. And ask to see him. Bring someone with you someone who has your best interest in mind - significant other, parent, sibling, close friend. They will pick up on anything you miss. Shock has a tendency to blank out all rational thought.. You do need to know the size and staging of this. I cannot remember if you said a ct or MRI has been done. I wouldn't give up the surgery spot since it is on track with treatment - and it's a fast time frame which is what you want. If you were an HPV related cancer I'd say hold up... Since usually rads and chemo are the first response treatment for that but this is a tongue tumor which usually isn't HPV positive. You need to see your dr. ASAP - a ct/ MRI/pet (one or two of the above) is important because this tells them where to cut, and if there is further involvement. Like your lymphnodes. Since you've had this for 8 months depending on the aggressiveness it could be quite large. To know the true size a scan should be done.
Most ENTs (my surgical oncologist, is an ENT) will remove some nodes as well since that is where it tends to spread, and you do not want to have surgery twice if you don't have to. Plus if it is a fair size you may also need a graft. This can be a big surgery so you need to know exactly what's what.

Basically you need to know the size, staging, if they are doing a partial neck dissection, will they be grafting the area they remove on your tongue, will you have a trache (if you will - post surgery you will not be able to speak for a few days)

I'm thinking based on the speed of the surgery it's either very small - or scary big - if its small he may be thinking get it out first then deal with the rest. Each is fine, but even small lesions can seed to the nodes so you really need some clarification - were I you I would also want to know how many oral cancer he treats a year, and if he's affiliated with a CCC.

A run down on oral tongue cancer non HPV related...

Standard treatment:

Biopsy
Confirmation of dx
Scan (s)
Surgery (often involving removal of the area, grafting if its a large area, and a neck dissection)
Then depending on the results of this biopsy (clear margins, cancer in the nodes etc...) possible radiation and treatment.

explain to his secretary you were shocked and out of it and are scared and need clarification, can you please see him for just a few minutes.

A simple excision of the tongue is a fairly quick procedure, and heals relatively fast, if its more involved you couldbe in there anywhere between 10-14 days... You really need some answers.

Hugs.