Ok think I got it. And yes they just said its to keep my tongue in place. It's big and chunky and I guess made of latex. I'm glad to know its a useful tool to help me, yet I have the pooling saliva - gagging pblm and hoping someone else here can help me. The tech explained that if they have to stop and get me up every time it will throw off where the exact marks are to radiate and make the radiation less effective. Less effective throws my brain into...well...I had two opinions about radiation, both strongly recommended it, yet said it was a "reasonable option to not radiate" and what am i doing here??? Ok thats another subject...I'll just stick to the getting through the tx without gagging...