Thanks everyone for your encouragement and advice. I seem to be making gradual headway with the sips of water, and at least having some in my mouth is refreshing. Good point on the dry swallowing. I do this a lot and had not considered it to be part of my therapy. But muscle movement is muscle movement, so I will be sure to keep at it.

Male, non-smoker, very light drinker, age 56 at diag.
9/18/12 - Diag. tongue cancer, left lateral border HPV 16+
9/24/12 - Partial glossectomy w/recon. Left side neck nodes removed
11/7/12 - Begin rads (30 treat.) and Cituximab (11 treat.)
12/26/12 - Rads compl.
1/18/13 - Cituximab compl.
3/13/13 - PET clear
12/19/13 - Positive PET
1/3/14 - Biopsy confirm cancer in tongue and 1 node (stage 4)
1/16/14 - Surgery - full glossectomy and and right neck dissect