Hi Molly
You tell Katie that she can do this and that she will still live a great life. Just take it one day at a time initially.
Does she communicate with a TEP prosthesis at this time?
Kris has a TEP and even without a tongue he talks. So you tell Katie that she will still be able to talk. And she will be able to eat.
Of course with all the swelling that will occur post surgery, speech will initially be difficult and this is where the speech aids come in.
Kris and I are off to Asia for a month in August - life is still good . Different, but good.
Tammy

Caregiver/advocate to Husband Kris age 59@ diagnosis
DX Dec '10 SCC BOT T4aN2bM0 HPV+ve.Cisplatin x3 35 IMRT.
PET 6/11 clear.
R) level 2-4 neck dissection 8/1/11 to remove residual node - necrotic with NED
Feb '12 Ca back.. 3/8/12 total glossectomy/laryngectomy/bilat neck dissection/partial pharyngectomy etc. clear margins. All nodes negative for disease. PEG in.
March 2017 - 5 years disease free. Woohoo!